


A Fox is a Wolf Who Sends Flowers

by ElectraRhodes



Category: Hannibal (TV), Hannibal Lecter Series - All Media Types
Genre: AU, Agatha Christie eat your heart out, Almost a murder mystery, Astronomy, Best Will Graham line in season 2, Beverly Lives, Butcher of Baltimore, F/M, Flower Language, Gen, Language of Flowers, Lots of flowers, M/M, Miriam is smart, Mythology - Freeform, No Chesapeake Ripper, Season 2, Slow Burn, Some Fluff, Some times the simple explanation is the right one, Sometimes the clues are right in front of you, Surprising number of clues, The weird horse thing, canon compliance and divergence, floristry, nice food
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-04-11
Updated: 2017-04-17
Packaged: 2018-10-17 18:21:07
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 15
Words: 21,162
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10599564
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ElectraRhodes/pseuds/ElectraRhodes
Summary: Will Graham inadvertently sets Matthew Brown off against his colleague and friend Hannibal Lecter. Hannibal survives the encounter but their mutual friends are less than impressed. Will is distraught, but it's not just about Hannibal's near miss.A tale told in floristry and murder.





	1. Purple Hyacinth

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Nia_Kantorka](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Nia_Kantorka/gifts), [EmilyElm](https://archiveofourown.org/users/EmilyElm/gifts), [DaringD](https://archiveofourown.org/users/DaringD/gifts), [PussNHikingBoots](https://archiveofourown.org/users/PussNHikingBoots/gifts), [arete](https://archiveofourown.org/users/arete/gifts), [Ravenamore](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ravenamore/gifts), [Ns100](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ns100/gifts), [DrHannibalLecterMD](https://archiveofourown.org/users/DrHannibalLecterMD/gifts), [timeandteacups](https://archiveofourown.org/users/timeandteacups/gifts), [KlavdiaV](https://archiveofourown.org/users/KlavdiaV/gifts), [emptyheart](https://archiveofourown.org/users/emptyheart/gifts).



> For some lovely people who read and kindly comment. Comments are like pink stocks and lily of the valley!

Will looks at Alana miserably,

'Safe from me or safe for you?'

She doesn't reply just gives him a look and walks off to her car. Gets in, reverses round and drives away.

Will looks at the ground, the dogs milling round his feet. Damn. He knows he's upset everyone. But it had genuinely been an accident. He hunkers down and nuzzles his face against Buster who woofs back. Shit. He moves over to the porch and sits there instead. His cell rings,

'Hey idiot, are you alright or are you going to avoid everyone?'

'Hey Bev. Probably. Have you seen Hannibal?'

'Yeah, I went to the hospital with Alana. She's pretty pissed with you. What happened? Hannibal's being all tight lipped about it and Matthew Brown has lawyered up'

'She's just left. She tore me a new one. Look, I was interviewing Gideon, third time. Matthew Brown is some kind of orderly, I honestly didn't know he was even listening. I had no idea he'd get this brainwave to go and off Hannibal. We've chatted a bit, you know, in the corridor, waiting for the doors to unlock, logging in and out. I had no idea.'

'Well, bad on you for your observational skills. Alana thinks you were setting him up'

'To get him killed! Fucking hell.'

'No, not to get him killed, more like to punish him, or her'

'Because she's seeing him?'

'Pretty much. But you know it's not really a thing yet? They've been on precisely one date. To the opera'

'Oh. I didn't think that was Alana's thing?'

'It's not, she hated it. But he asked. And she's interested so,'

'I get it. Yeah'

'Will?'

'Yeah, what's up Bev?'

'Are you upset about it? I know there was that kiss and miss last year?'

'No. Really, it's fine. I hope it works out. They'd be great together. I'm happy for them'

'You are such a crap liar. But a nice one. Alright. See you in the lab?'

'Sure. See you. And. Thanks Bev'

He puts the cell down on the step beside him. God this is a disaster. And he's still got to see Jack. There might be an official reprimand in his not too distant future. Fuck. A couple of tears slide down his face. God. He mustn't cry as well.

..............

Will stands in the florist looking around realising he really has no clue about what he's doing. On the wall above the cash register is a sign that displays bouquets and prices with some humorous annotation, 

$10 - adequate - for someone who you just want to say "hey I noticed a thing" to

$20 - passable - for someone you want to say "hey I noticed a thing and are you ok?" to

$30 - better - for someone you want to say "hey, I noticed a thing, and are you ok? And shit I'm sorry about that" to

$40 - good - for someone you want to say "hey, I noticed a thing, and are you ok? And shit I'm really sorry, it was totally my fault" to

$50-$75 - better than good - for someone you want to say "hey, that thing? Really fucking sorry. Totally on me/can I help?" to

$75-$100 - really good - for someone you want to say "that thing? Fuck! I'm totally here for you" to

$100-$150 - brilliant - for someone you want to say "you, me, totally" to

$150+ - better than brilliant - for someone you want to say "you're the one and/or I am so sorry I almost screwed this up" to.

Based on this alone he could reasonably pay anything between $40 and $150+. He stands in the line, two people ahead of him. The flowers are in lieu of him going to the hospital. He can't. He just can't. Bev told him that Hannibal is due home tomorrow, so he can either have it sent to the hospital today or the house tomorrow.

When he gets to the front of the queue he decides to fall on the mercy of the two women behind the counter.

'I need your help please'

They both smile readily,

'Ok. A friend of mine is in hospital. He was attacked. We both work for the Feds, consultancy. The guy who attacked him did so on the basis of something he overheard me say. My friend will be alright. But it was a nasty assault and it's totally my fault'

'Alright lovey, we can do that I think'

Will sighs, 'Not over yet'

'Oh. Ok, go on'

'My friend has just started seeing someone, also a friend of mine. Who I faintly had romantic interest in last year. She thinks I orchestrated for something to happen. As a kind of punishment, for one or both of them'

'Oh. That's trickier isn't it?'

'It is. Not done yet'

The two women look at each other, then back at Will, he sighs again,

'I was interested in her a bit, but I didn't know this other friend very well at the time, but I wanted to, and anyway, I kissed her to try and provoke a response, but then there was this shit case where I was attacked and he got hurt and it all got a bit overshadowed.'

'Wow. Ok. That sounds distressing. Err. Anything else?'

Will swallows, 'So. Well. Then I was ill and was a bit of an asshole and we got a bit distant, and well. There was a bit of a hiatus. And I really hate it. Because, well. You know. The whole hearts and flowers thing. But I can't tell him. He's not even gay. But. I miss him so much. And it's just, shit.'

He puts his hand over his eyes,

'Sorry. Just. Sorry. That's probably not a bunch of flowers is it? Maybe a whole garden?'

'Sweetie, come and sit down, we'll get you a cup of tea and talk about it'

One of the women gets a chair whilst the other one puts the closed sign on the front door and locks it and then puts the kettle on. The three of them sit and drink tea from large pottery mugs.

Ninety minutes later Will gets a little hug from each of them, and his bank balance might be $100 lighter but his heart is infinitely so. He's not naive enough to believe that flowers resolve every problem. But they can't hurt.

..................

'That was the front door'

'Don't worry, I'll get it'

Alana leaves Hannibal sitting on a high stool leaning on one of the the brushed steel counters in his lovely kitchen and goes to the front door. She comes back a few minutes later with a large bunch of flowers.

'These are nice. Is there a card? I don't see one?'

She puts the bouquet down on the counter next to the sink, Hannibal points her in the direction of a large plain vase they can go in until he can attend to them. They talk of other general things until she sighs and remarks,

'I must go. I promised I'd see Abigail this evening. And take Applesauce with me. Sure you're alright?'

'Yes, thank you. I'll be fine. It's nice to be home again'

She leans over and kisses him on the cheek and she smiles at him.

'Right then, I'll give you a ring?'

'Thank you. That would be lovely Alana'

When she's gone he gets up carefully and moves to the sink, he undoes the wrapping on the flowers and spreads them out on the counter top. There is a card, but it's small and in an envelope. Inside it's just a plain bit of card which says,

"I'm really sorry. I hope the flowers will say all the things I'm rubbish at, Will"

On the reverse is the website of the florists. Hannibal taps the card against the edge of the counter once or twice and then props it up on the windowsill above the sink.


	2. Iris

Will whispers in Jimmy's ear, 'did anyone try the honey?'

'No. We thought it was a bit too, well, macabre, even for us'

'Oh. Fair enough. Bit of a waste then'

Even though they're alone in the lab Jimmy looks around to check he's not being overheard,

'Actually I took as much of it back to the field as I could, the bees will just recycle it. It's all just concentrated bee spit anyway really'

'Yeah. I know. I wonder why more people aren't full on vegan sometimes. Or the total opposite, go for the whole cannibal thing'

'Probably don't say that any louder. I know what you mean, but, well, you know?'

'I know. I'm still trying to make up ground on the whole "don't get your colleagues killed" business'

Brian comes into the lab and sees Will and Jimmy leaning on one of the benches at the back,

'Why are you two skulking?'

'Just talking about the bee thing. You got any more on the tree thing?'

'Not right now. Bev is doing something with the language of flowers in case it's relevant'

Will sits up, and pays closer attention, 'is she? I know a little bit about that I might be able to help'

'Really? Hidden depths Will, I thought it was just insects and random oddness'

'Yeah well, it's an interesting topic. Where is she? In the library?'

Brian nods and Will sketches them a brief wave goodbye.

'Is he alright?'

'Still feeling bad about the whole Hannibal thing. He cancelled his last appointment'

'I thought Jack said he had to go. Mandatory after being off ill. And really out of it!'

Jimmy sighs, 'I know. But, you know, he feels terrible about what happened. I don't think he can face him'

'Shit. Does that mean he's not coming to the dinner?'

'I don't know. I didn't think to ask. Alana might know'

The two men smile at Alana as she pushes through the doors into the lab,

'Hey, you two. Is Jack here yet?'

'No. We're waiting for him. Bev and Will are in the library, I guess they'll come back in a bit too. Nice timing by the way. We wanted to ask you something?'

'Fire away then'

'The dinner for Bella, has Will been invited?'

Alana's face hardens, 'Hannibal says he has. I don't know if he's replied. Honestly I think he shouldn't come. I know he's friendly with Bella but I don't think it's really appropriate. Hannibal nearly died. He's still debating whether to carry on as a consultant'

'Oh. Sorry. I didn't know that. Ok. Anyway how are you Alana? Everything alright?'

'I'm fine thank you. You two?'

The two men smile at her rather blandly. Bev pushes through the door,

'Alright then, well this will make you sit up, hey Alana, alright?'

The four of them briefly chat until Brian asks about the flowers,

'Yeah. Alright, it's a little bit obscure, and different people say different things but basically Oleander means caution, belladonna means silence, and ragwort means humble but proud. I've left Will down there reading some Victorian grande dame'

Alana sniffs a bit but then gives in, 'how is Will?'

Bev smiles at her, 'shall we go for guilt-ridden and I think that might be an understatement'

'He did nearly get Hannibal killed!'

'That would be Matthew Brown Alana. Will didn't actually do it, or intend for it to happen.'

'Yes. Well. I hope not.'

Jimmy is probably the most mild mannered of the lab team so the group is surprised when he says 

'Alana, I love you, and I love that you're defending Hannibal, but you need to lay off Will a bit. He already feels terrible about it. It's starting to effect his sleep again'

There's silence then. Will has only just recovered from encephalitis and it's been a hard road to walk. The early symptoms had included nightmares and sleepwalking.

Jack chooses that moment to walk in, Hannibal is with him. There's a certain amount of joshing and humour directed at him, it's the first time he's been back since the attack.

'So, then. Mr Tree. Anything more? Definitely the Butcher?'

'We think so. Will thinks so. Obviously he didn't see it on site but he's pretty sure'

'Where is he? I told him I wanted him here and no excuses'

Bev smoothly interjects with a slight adaptation of the truth,

'He's in the library. We sent him to go and look up the flowers and plants'

'Right. So? What?'

The team talk through the meanings, the symbolism, that all the flowers are toxic, how this might fit or not fit with the Baltimore Butcher's other kills. Jack really really wants the Butcher. The case is his bete noir. The Butcher has been quiet for a while but if he's off again they can expect two or three more kills in the next few weeks and possibly some elaborate displays too.

Jimmy explains about diatoms and the water in the victim's lungs, and that the unicellular plants will tell them where Mr Tree was drowned before being displayed, grafted into a cherry tree. Brian jokes about 'varicose vines' which falls on deaf ears, though Hannibal might have smiled. Just slightly. This does though give them a relatively narrow radius.

The group gather round a wall map and look at appropriate bodies of water with access and sufficient remoteness for the Butcher to have prepared the victim. As they're doing so Will pushes into the room and then stops. Oh damn. Everyone. Including Hannibal. Shit. 

Jack turns and glares at him, then remembers that his colleague was actually very ill only a month ago and has only just segued from part time to full time hours again.

'We've got the diatoms Will, anything else?'

'Only, well along with silence, Belladonna also means "I declare war against you" I think we might need to prepare for something...." 

he trails off having realised that unusually Hannibal has a button hole. It's a tiny spray of jonquil and forsythia. Will just about manages to pull himself together, he didn't expect that at all,

'Only that, I think we might need to prepare for something more substantial than the usual sounder'

Jack looks annoyed, though everyone in the team is projecting "don't shoot the messenger Jack" so hard he's almost pushed over by it, he glares round at everyone, 

'Alright, alright. I got it. Good job Will. I want you to go and check on florists and tree sellers or whatever they're called'

'Jimmy, you and Brian on the narrowing it down. Bev, I want you and Dr Bloom with me. Dr Lecter, I appreciate you coming in very much. Folks, Hannibal is going to do a phased return. And we're going to try not to send him to any scenes for the time being? Got it?'

Everyone nods, and Will is out the door before anyone, especially Hannibal can say a word! Will avoids the lifts and heads for the stairs and half slides down the banisters and out of the building before the team has even drawn breath.

Bev looks at Hannibal 'What happened there then?'

'Perhaps he is keen for there to be some progress on the case?'

'He always is. But that was....'

She looks at Hannibal closely 'you did something? Or said something? Alright, alright. Dr Strange and Mysterious. But I will find out!'

He smiles at her genially 'I'm sure you will Beverly. Quite soon I expect.'

'Shut up. You annoying git. God I'm glad you're back. You are back aren't you? Yeah, yeah I heard what Jack said. Ok?'

'Thank you. I'm doing well enough.'

.......................

In a florist in downtown Baltimore Will pushes through the door with a large box of chocolates under his arm. He sets it down on the counter when one of the two women who served him before comes through.

'Alright. He had a button hole, jonquil and forsythia. What exactly did I say to him? The specifics not the broad strokes. And what does that mean?'

The woman smiles in delight, 'Rosie, our nice Agent is back, he's brought some choccies, they are for us aren't they?'

Will nods, 

The other woman comes through from the back of the shop 'Oh goodie, I'll just get the door. Tea dear?'

Will sighs, 'that sounds great. Thank you'


	3. Moss Rosebud

Bev stretches out along her sofa, her feet resting in Will's lap, a long knecked beer in hand,

'This is the best thing I have heard, possibly ever! It's kind of cute. What are you going to do now? You are going to come to the dinner aren't you?'

'Honestly? Hey pass me the last boring no-alcohol beer. Thanks. I don't know. I talked to Bella, I took her some flowers too, well branches actually in a vase, pine and oak, smelled good. She said I should but would understand if it felt too difficult'

'But you went to your appointment didn't you?'

Will doesn't say anything, just takes another long pull of his drink. 

'You didn't go? Shit, that's two you've missed. Jack will have your guts for garters'

Bev waits until he's not drinking and then bats him over the head with a throw pillow from her sofa. Not hard, he has been ill, but enough for him to get the point.

'Actually I've told him I'll see Frederick, made the appointment already'

'You're kidding? I know Jimmy loves him but really he's dork supreme'

'He's got one thing in his favour'

'What? Apart from Jims?'

'He's not Hannibal'

'Shit. You're going to tell Hannibal aren't you? Frederick's definitely going to the dinner. He'll say'

'Yes. I've sent him a note already. No flowers this time. I thought I'd send him something nice if I don't go to the dinner. Or if I do. I'm making a mess of this aren't I?'

'I don't know. What do jonquil and forsythia mean? You didn't tell me that bit'

'"Anticipation" and "your affection is returned" usually'

'Wow!'

Will smiles into his bottle, 'yeah. Wow. If I have the guts to see it through. Which I probably don't. It'll piss off Alana even more'

'What's the flower for "I'm an idiot but I'm great in the sack and pretty smart apart from the whole people thing"?'

Will looks at her as though he is considering, Bev opens her mouth, surprised, 

'Wait? There isn't one is there?'

'Nah. I'm messing with you. It'd be a whole bunch to convey all of that! I meant to ask, how are they doing on the diatoms and stuff?'

'Jack's got PD from three counties looking at abandoned properties and outhouses, just in case. Hey, what flowers are you going to send if you don't go, or if you do?'

'I was thinking maybe some camellias and gardenias. Gardenias especially smell beautiful. I had wondered about orange blossom, but the meaning isn't quite so good. And I know he'd look it up, or know it, so gardenias and camellias. Because his olfactory powers are...'

'Legendary! I know. I think we all know. He is on two for two, spotting Bella's cancer in time and diagnosing your bloody encephalitis. What a superpower to have though?'

'We're such a great team super-nose, super-shout, super-woman, super-sweet, oy enough with the pillow!'

....................

Hannibal is sitting at the counter in his kitchen drinking coffee and opening his post. Bill, bill, literary event, opera circular, gardening flyer, museum newsletter, personal letter. Oh. Unusual to get a personal letter that's hand written and smells of, hmm dog, machine oil, rosemary and thyme, possibly sage as well. Almost certainly Will,

"Dear Hannibal, 

you know I'm utterly sorry for what's happened. I think in the circumstances it'd be better if I have my evaluation with someone else. That way no one can question it. I'll ask Frederick Chilton and I'll let Jack know. I still hope to come to the dinner if that's ok? I've asked Bella if she's alright with it, and she said yes, but I realise that as you and Alana are hosting I ought to check with you. I know Alana would rather I didn't. So if that's how you feel too, please just say. 

Sincerely Will."

Hannibal frowns. He looks up again at the bouquet from Will, sitting in a vase on the sideboard. He's looked at it a lot, thought about it, changed the water, deadheaded any flowers that droop, hung the ones that will dry upside down in his airing cupboard. He'd hoped Will might respond to the button hole. Perhaps it had been too subtle? He reads the note again. Hmm. Maybe. This doesn't sound like Will has quite got it.

He gets up, still stiff from the after effects of Mr Brown's tender care and goes into the study. He searches along a particular shelf and then extracts a small volume "The Secret Language of Flowers" by Lady Mary Wortley Montague. His is an early edition and has been signed by the author. She's done a little line drawing of a rose faded now to a sepia brown, impossible to know what she'd meant as it has no colour.

He flips through the pages and makes some notes on the blotter of his desk. He has a few ideas to pursue. More immediately he should reply to Will's note.

"Dear Will,

There is no need to apologise further. I completely accept it was not your intention that I be hurt nor do I blame you. If others have conveyed that I do, they have done so in error. I am glad Bella has encouraged you to attend the dinner, I extend the same invitation. I hope you will not let Alana's feelings influence you too far, at least in this. I regret that you have decided to see Frederick for the evaluation session, though I do of course hope it is satisfactory. My only hope would be that you might see it as an opportunity for us to embark on friendlier conversations rather than formal sessions. With that in mind perhaps we might arrange to meet for lunch?

With regards, Hannibal"

He reads it over again. It's slightly more formal than he'd like, and really he'd like to say that Alana has overstepped. But that would be a little unfair. He nods to himself. Good enough. 

.....................

Hannibal pushes gently on the door and the bell tinkles as he steps over the threshold. Instantly the smell of sweet peas reminds him of his childhood, his sister picking flowers for their mother. The endless summers when the delicate floral slippers seemed never ending and their sweet soft smell scented every room.

A friendly faced woman comes out from the back of the shop and she smiles cheerfully at him,

'Hello, how can I help you today then?'

'I would like to send some flowers to a friend. I believe he has also shopped here, so I hope you have his address? Are you willing to deliver? It is quite a way out?'

Rosie looks at the man and smiles. So this is "the friend", alright she can see her little Will's point. And this must be a good sign. Although it does depend on what he chooses. If he knows. He looks like he might know. Especially when he pulls a half sheet of foolscap from his pocket.

'I think we can, if it's who I think it is. Actually he's got some flowers on order for you. For delivery. Not for a day or two, let me check the diary.'

She disappears off into the back of the shop behind a long beaded curtain. As the curtain moves it rustles and clicks like rain on leaves at the start of a summer shower. This is a room to please all the senses. 

'I thought so, he's got some coming to you on Saturday. You've got some nice do, is that right?'

Hannibal smiles, 'yes, a mutual friend has recently had an all clear from cancer. It's a celebration'

'Oh that's very nice. I'll make sure to add in some yellow roses too then. The order is for gardenias and camellias, if you know what they mean?'

'I don't. But I shall look them up promptly when I arrive home. Perhaps you might assist me in choosing something appropriate. Ideally I'd like them to arrive before Saturday, I'm trying to encourage him to come to the party'

'Did you have any ideas, just so I get the right sort of tone?'

'Gloxina, stocks, perhaps yellow tulips?'

'Are you sure you don't want to go the whole hog and have red carnations?'

Hannibal smiles, 'it might be a little too much?'

Rosie smiles right back 'oh I don't think so'.


	4. Rose of Sharon

'Thanks Frederick. I really appreciate it.'

'You're welcome Will. Now, shall I give this to you or should I send it direct to Jack Crawford?'

'To Jack please, I'm not supposed to know what it says until he's seen it'

'Oh well. I think it's safe to say I think you're mostly alright. Though I'd recommend keeping an eye on the sleep issue, that's not the development we'd be hoping for at this stage'

'I know. You're right. I'll keep a sleep diary. I'd like to say it's just the guilt. But it might not be'

'And it might be. You are allowed to let it go. We all make mistakes. It happens'

'I know. It's just that our friend almost died because of this one'

'But he didn't. Has he said he blames you?'

'No. The opposite'

'And you don't believe him? You think he's lying?'

'No. I don't think that. You're right. It's just..'

'Will. I know the empathy thing can make it hard to let go, but everyone pretty well is giving you permission to let go'

Will shrugs a little, 'I'm trying. I'm not very good at it'

'I know. And sometimes that helps the FBI more than it helps you. Come on. Time to go. I've sealed the envelope, don't make me open it, I'm all out of the large brown foolscap size'

Will smiles a little, 'thanks Frederick, it's been better than I feared. I appreciate it'

'No problem. Nice to have a little FBI work now and again. And I'm assuming I'll see you at this dinner? Jimmy made me go and buy a new tie!'

'Did he? Funny. You're always dapper Frederick'

Frederick preens slightly, 'oh do you think so? I'd like to think Jimmy and I have a mutually beneficial effect in that regard'

.....................

Will gets out his car. He smiles at the two women who are sitting on the steps of his porch.

'Hello! This is a surprise. To what do I owe the honour of this visit? And yes, there's tea with your name's on inside. Nothing stronger, I'm afraid. You should see the meds I'm on!'

Rosie and Daisy beam at him, 'we've got flowers for you! Rather than our usual lad bring them we thought we'd have a little trip. It's nice out here'

'It is, I like it. How are you with dogs? I've got seven'

The two women look at each other and then at him,

'Seven! How will he cope? He's got awfully smart suits?'

'Yeah. Well. It's why I think it's a non starter really'

Rosie smiles, 'oh I don't know about that there's red carnations in this lot! And maidenhair, so he's not stupid!'

Daisy joins in, 'yellow tulips! Yellow! And white dittany!'

Will smiles, their enthusiasm is infectious 'come on in, I'm sure I've got a jar or something. They are beautiful. I'm not usually one for flowers, but, well, these are very nice.'

The two women settle in the living room, the dogs are friendly but well behaved and Buster follows Will into the kitchen in case the flowers turn out to be food, even though they smell all wrong. Buster is forever an optimist.

......................

It's Saturday and Will hasn't yet decided if he's going to go to the dinner party. It won't be a sit down, it will be a circulate and chat and that would be hell except he knows almost everyone who will be there. Bev has texted him to beg him to come. Brian left him a voice mail,

"Will! Don't be a dickhead. Just come to the damn thing already. It'll just draw attention if you miss it. We want you to come. Please. God. I'm grovelling. Shit. Don't tell Bev, she'll make my life miserable. But come. Please. Really"

He understands the point that Brian is making. It'll almost be worse if he doesn't go now. Especially now he's looked up the flowers. He gently smooths his fingers along one of the petals. They are so soft. And lovely. He thinks they feel the way he imagines kissing Hannibal would be. He sighs. He's still got a few hours in which to decide.  
.....................

As the day progresses Hannibal, Alana and Bella complete the decorations around the ground floor of his house. At one point Bella asks,

'These gardenias are gorgeous, where can they go so that people will smell them but they won't overpower the food?'

'Maybe the mantelpiece in the living room, the one that opens on to the conservatory?'

She picks up the two bowls and disappears off into the house. Alana looks at Hannibal,

'You've got more flowers than usual. I don't remember you using camellias before?'

'I don't usually, though they are very attractive. Actually Will sent them, for the party'

'Oh. Does that mean he's decided not to come? It would be surprisingly tactful of him not to'

'I've encouraged him to come. I'd hoped you would too. It's not his fault Alana. Mistakes happen. Alarmingly often'

'You could have been killed'

'But I wasn't. And it's touching for you to be so concerned, but really you mustn't try and alienate Will. He is my friend. Yours too'

Alana moves closer to Hannibal then and lays a hand on his arm,

'I could have lost you. It's hardly surprising if I'm upset'

Hannibal pats her hand, 'you're too kind, Beverly said the same thing yesterday. It's very flattering to know I am so indispensable to my friends. Shall we go and help Bella? I think the conservatory may need some re-arranging?'

Alana is about to point out that her's and Beverly's perspectives are rather different when she stops and thinks about that. She and Hannibal have been on one date. To the opera. And she'd been bored to tears. They have had dinner together once since then. He kissed her carefully goodbye at the door. It had been, nice. Nice. Oh damn. And really? Harpsichord? Yawn? Endless discussion and analysis? Also yawn? Classical allusion so obscure she has to google things surreptitiously in the loo on her cell phone? Booooooooks. Ok. Maybe ease off a little. She smiles and nods,

'Good plan. Are you going to move the harpsichord?'

'Actually that's the Virginal. The harpsichord is in the study'

'Of course it is. Silly me' 

right, that's alright then, she thinks. Nope. Nice but nope.

.....................

Winston runs towards Will with a large stick in his mouth, she drops it at Will's feet and wags her tail happily. It's covered in dog slobber but that's never bothered Will so he picks it up and throws it hard. Idly he walks in the direction the pack is going. 

At the edge of his property he leans on the chain link fence and glances up and down the border. Here's where the weed seeds and general plant detritus end up, edges are always the most diverse for species. His eye is caught by some ragwort. It's pretty enough. Yeah. That's not so good. His neighbour sometimes has livestock in the field, ragwort is poisonous to most mammals. Though it would take a fair amount to make them properly ill. He better bring some gloves next time, and call the local Ag and Fish Department, it's a notifiable plant where there are livestock.

He walks slowly back towards the house. Notifiable plant. Not usually carried by florists? He'll have to check that out. But if it's not carried by florists? His gait speeds up and by the time he reaches the house he's running. He almost throws himself through the door and grabs up his cell.

'Daisy? Hello? This is Will Graham, from Wolf Trap? Hey, yeah, I am, thank you. Got a quick question. Is ragwort usually stocked by florists? Really. Excellent. Thank you. I have to go. But thank you. This is brilliant'

'Jimmy? It's Will, how can we get a look at the notifiable plants register? For the area inside that radius? I know it's a Saturday. I know. Ragwort! Yeah. I know? See you in the lab? Brilliant'

Will gathers up the dogs, puts down food for them, empties and refreshes all the water bowls. Notices the tall jar with the yellow tulips in and thinks oh damn the party? He climbs the stairs two at a time to his bedroom and grabs up his suit and the shirt and tie he'd got out earlier. Mainly to torment himself with. Back downstairs he shoves his dress shoes into a bag and then carries his clothes out to the car and puts them carefully on the back seat. He runs back to the house and grabs his jacket. Ragwort!


	5. Lesser Celandine

'Frederick hello, welcome. Are you alone, I expected Jimmy to come with you?'

Hannibal smiles as he welcomes Frederick into the house, they have a certain amount of professional rivalry, possibly sartorial rivalry too but they manage to get along. Jimmy frequently providing the necessary social lubricant if ever the verbal scrapping gets out of hand.

'He will be, I hope. He and Will have got some idea about the tree man case. Jimmy didn't go into detail. I've brought a little something for the cellar'

'Thank you, this is very kind. I shall make sure no one drinks it tonight! Come with me into the kitchen, what exactly did Jimmy say?'

...................

'God, I hate maps to this scale, Jims what did the last signpost say?'

'I dunno, Buttfuck Rising? Why did the GPS go out on us today of all days, in the middle of Nowhere, Virginia?'

'It's always temperamental in my car. Sorry. Can you pull over we can try and call it up on my phone'

Jimmy pulls over onto the side of the road. They look at the two maps they've got and then both try and get a signal on their phones. Will squints at his,

'Alright, I think if we turn up here and then take the next right we'll be close. Is the Ag and Fish guy going to meet us?'

'He said he'd wait at the road, the approach is full of potholes. We'll have to walk the last half mile'

'Oh that's just peachy. Alright. It is what it is. Did you bring boots?'

'Yeah, in the trunk. I put my suit on the back seat. On top of what I assume is yours. You are coming aren't you?'

'Yeah. I persuaded myself. I figured it'd just get more and more awkward if I didn't. And, well, I sent him some flowers to say sorry. I think that mostly worked'

'Did you now? Is that what the buttonhole was all about?'

'Possibly. Maybe. I don't know.'

'I think you do. I'm assuming you looked them up?'

'Might have done'

Jimmy grins as he slows the car, just up ahead there is a large truck with "Dept. Ag & Fish" in a decal along the tail gate. There are two men leaning against the side. As Will and Jimmy approach in the car the guys turn and wave at them.

Will gets out of the car, 'Hey, thanks for coming out.'

'No problem. We never get to do this kind of stuff. What do you think you'll find? I've got the property records here. It's not been in use for years.'

The four men shake hands. One of the Ag guys gets out a large map of the property they're about to enter. There are outhouses, a barn, a few circles which may indicate covered wells. All in all a considerable property.

'It's about half a mile. You got footwear?'

The Ag guy looks at their feet pointedly. Jimmy wearing brogues and Will in baseball boots. 

'Yeah, sure, we've both got boots in the trunk. We've got a whole wardrobe between us. We're supposed to be at a party right now for one of our friends.'

'Did you two draw the short straw then?'

Will almost smiles, 'Nah. He's the plant guy, I'm usually the insect guy, but I double as the weird ideas from out of nowhere guy'

Both the Ag men laugh 'we've got one of them. Amazing intuition about infringement and who's doing stuff they shouldn't!'

Will does smile then, 'sounds like my kind of fella. Right then. Boots on. Jims you ready?'

'Good enough. How bad will it be underfoot?'

'Worse as we go down the slope, rained a lot, water table's high. Bit of flooding. Probably won't have to wade but it'll be wet. You might regret being the ones late to the party'

....................

'Alright then Dr Strange and Mysterious, spill. No use you pretending with me. You know it. I know it. You know I know it!'

Bev links her arm through Hannibal's and steers him to a low sofa in the study, they sit and she looks at him expectantly,

'I'd hoped he'd come this evening'

'Yeah. We all did. But given that Jims isn't here either it does sound like a legit excuse. He's not just chickening out. You're not going to are you?'

'I thought it was Alana?'

'Wrong answer, guess again'

'But what about last year?'

'Forget it. Next answer'

'I did take Alana to the opera'

'Yeah? And that went really well didn't it?'

'I admit our interests don't really overlap'

'Warmer. Go on'

'I ought to speak to her first'

'Uh huh? And you haven't noticed the whole heart eyes going on from that ex-patient of yours you saved?'

'Margot? Really? I'd thought perhaps she was interested in Will?'

Bev laughs so much she ends up coughing and spluttering,

'God you're the best. Nope'

........................

The four men approach the last building they have yet to search, a fair sized barn. The lead Ag guy points to a stand of ragwort up against one side. Jimmy asks,

'Who do the property deeds come back to?'

'Hard to say. Looks like a shell, made up name. I'll give you the print outs when we get back to the truck'

'There's a new padlock on this. You got bolt cutters in that bag?'

'No, sorry, too unwieldy to just carry around on spec. If we'd been animal control we'd have had some.'

'Fair enough. Still it makes it look like something valuable must be inside. Or valuable to some one'

The other Ag guy has been looking at the hinges,

'Look I've got a multi-tool. I might be able to get the hinges off on this side'

The four of them spend the next twenty minutes getting four screws out of one of the hinges.

'Ok, that's progress. Jims can you hold the torch, it's getting hard to see?'

'Sure Will, I'm not sure my wrists are up for much more anyway'

The four men squat to get to the bottom hinge. This one is tougher as the bottom of the door has accumulated grime and creosote along the baseplate each time it's been treated. It takes them almost an hour. One of the Ag guys says,

'I guess I thought FBI work was going to be more exciting in the field'

Will grins at him, 'it can be. Sometimes a bit too exciting. Ok, steady the door, last one's almost done, got it? There it goes'

The pair of doors swing open outwards as the four of them stop them twisting round the padlock, the only place where the two doors are linked. They prop the doors against the front, the space now wide wide open. The inside of the barn is a large space with some stalls along one side. In front of the stalls there are three circular covers like the ones they've seen outside covering old wells. There's a partial second floor accessed by a ladder. The whole of the inside is surprisingly clean for an abandoned property.

'Alright then, let's check the upper floor in a minute, let's get the well covers off first.

.....................

'This is very good Hannibal. Thank you. Though I've eaten too many of the prosciutto roses.'

'There are plenty. You should take a doggy bag home with you. I think you're doing better than Frederick, he's eyeing the squab like they might run after him like baba-yaga's house.'

The two men look over at where Frederick is glaring at a squab leg. Hannibal winks at him which flusters Frederick thoroughly. Jack snorts a short laugh. 

'Now that was just cruel. Come on, I'm going to do the whole speech bit. Better get ready to look modest and unassuming. You practiced?'

'Jack, I'm shocked, are you implying, what are you implying?'

The two friends grin easily at each other. Since Hannibal spotted Bella's cancer over dinner the previous year they've got on even better. The business over Will's encephalitis consolidating Hannibal's role in the team and in the friendship group that circles it, never mind the weird European ideolect, three pieces, obscure extended metaphors and all round peculiarity.

Jack carefully clinks a spoon against the side of a water glass, Hannibal making an effort not to visibly wince.

'Alright, alright, no don't groan, I'll keep it short. I just want to say...'

Brian's cell goes off and he makes the universal face of "shit I am so sorry I could have sworn it was on silent" and turns his cell off, he smiles in apology, Jack opens his mouth to start again, this time it's Bev's phone, she makes the same face, and grimaces at Jack, but takes herself out into the hall. In the living room she can just hear Jack carrying on. She answers the call,

'Will? What the hell? And where are you? Jack's doing the big speech, Bella looking beautiful and adoring and what!? What do you mean? Fucking hell!!! What!!! WHAT?'

She turns and rushes back into the living room,

'Shut up!! Look I'm sorry but. Fucking hell. I've got Will on the phone. Jimmy and Will!??? They've found Miriam, they've found Miriam!! She's FUCKING ALIVE!!'

.................


	6. White Chysanthemum

Freddie Lounds is leaning on the bonnet of her small jeep. The two Ag guys have both given her an interview, excited beyond measure to have been in at the thrill. When the four of them had got the cover off the well they'd stared down into the deep pit and seen Miriam looking up at them, blinking in the torchlight. 

Physically she is unhurt. She'd only been in the pit for a few days with water and food delivered daily and her waste bucket emptied at the same time. Not surprisingly she's somewhat traumatised, it's been nearly two years since she went missing. But is actually doing better than anyone could have expected.

Freddie is hoping to get a word from one of the Feds. She eyes up Will and Jimmy walking towards her. She's already got pictures of the ambulance that collected Miriam and whisked her away. She gets four or five of the two agents.

'So, Agent Graham, Agent Price, congratulations, it must be a wonderful feeling?'

Jimmy smiles, he and Will guessed she'd be here, so they're ready for it.

'We are. Finding anyone who's been kidnapped or who has disappeared involuntarily is excellent, that it's one of our own is even better.'

'Amazing! And what led you here?'

'The most recent Butcher case. Gave us just a hint. And here we are.'

'And do you think that was intentional? Did he want you to find her?'

'Ms Lounds, that is the million dollar question. As soon as we know we'll make sure you and your readers do too. Now, if you'll excuse me we have some celebrating to do!'

She lets them go, looking down the road to the property wondering just how many PD and other Feds there are that she might need to avoid. The two agents head over to Will's car, as they do so they pass the two Ag guys, one of them hands over the property documentation and schematics. Will sticks his hand out, they all shake,

'Thanks. You made it happen. We're beyond grateful. Miriam was taken by the Butcher. We thought we'd never see her again. She'd only just graduated. It was a bad deal. So, well, thank you. On a Saturday too!'

....................

'She's being taken to the General, are we going there? We're going there. Oh my god. Shit. Are we all going? They won't let all of us in!'

'Calm down Bev. You take Hannibal and Brian, Jack will drive himself, I'll hold the fort here'

'Are you sure Alana? Really? It's a big deal?'

'I only met her once, you all knew her. Go on. I'll be fine.'

Margot comes and stands beside Alana, 'I'll make sure it all gets tidied up here. Tell Hannibal not to worry. I've got Frederick and Bella to help too.'

Alana turns and smiles at Margot, 'I'm sure we'll be fine. Tell Hannibal I'll lock up when we're done as well'

'Alright, alright. Oh my god! This is just brilliant. Hannibal have you got your coat? Where the fuck is Brian. Oh sorry. You were being too quiet for a change. Fuck. It's a good job we hadn't gotten to the champagne'

'How much have you had Bev?'

'One glass of wine and six glasses of fizzy water. I was the sodding designated driver!'

'Good job. Alright. Hannibal, bring a bottle of the champagne with you!'

'You're right. I'll be back in a moment'

...................

At the General Hospital Will and Jimmy are in the admissions reception waiting to be allowed in to see Miriam, she's having an initial check-up. Jimmy wanders over to the gift shop,

'Hey shall we get her some flowers?'

'Nice idea. What's here?'

The two men look through the flowers, in the end they settle on a little pot of snowdrops and wood sorrel. The woman at the counter smiles at them,

'Nice idea, friend or family?'

'Friend. Good friend. Not seen her for a long time'

'Oh!' The woman stops 'are you with the FBI girl they've just brought in?'

'We are'

'Oh my, did you find her?'

'We did'

'But that's amazing. Here take these as well, for her, it's so fantastic.'

She hands them a small bunch of peach coloured roses, wrapped up in green tissue.

'Thank you, that's really kind.'

The two men take the flowers and go and sit down again. A few minutes later a doctor comes through from admissions.

'Are you here with Miriam Lass? Come on through she'll be pleased to see you. She's a bit dehydrated but surprisingly lucid. Nice flowers.'

The two men follow the doctor and are ushered into Miriam's room, 

'Oh god. Jimmy Price! Will Graham! I thought it was you back in the barn, but it was such a shock. Oh my god. I can't believe it. I just can't. How did you find me? I've only been there three days, before I was in a house with this really nice woman who wouldn't let me leave'

'Is that where you've been? For two years?'

'I know. It sounds crazy. I know Jack will want to do a debrief. I better not say too much. Don't want it to get confused'

'Miriam, I'm so glad to see you. I spoke to Beverly, she's on her way, she's got Brian and Hannibal with her. I think Jack's coming too'

'God they won't let everybody in!'

'I think they might make an exception'

....................

There's much hugging and laughing and crying and more hugging and laughing and crying. The Feds who'd first showed up on the scene had processed Miriam's clothes as well as getting any trace evidence from her too. So no one holds back.

Hannibal had been her mentor in college for part of her PhD, he'd encouraged her to apply to the FBI, of all of them he's known her the longest. They both cry a little. Jack had got her into the team as soon as she'd graduated, she'd only been on board for a few weeks when she went missing.

At some point when she's stopped snivelling Bev says to Jimmy,

'Where's Will, I thought he was here?'

'He was. He must have snuck out. He said he'd an idea about the ragwort that he wanted to check'

'Really? Damn. I wanted him to finally actually talk to Hannibal'

'Yeah. He's an idiot. What can we do?'

'Who's an idiot? No one here I hope'

'Nah. Not you Han. Or anyone here. Will's gone off on some other ragwort related thing. He's got another idea'

'Well, if it's as good as this one then who can blame him?'

Bev and Jimmy both look at Hannibal who has the grace to blush.

'Hannibal Lecter the 8th, 9th? 8th. Now you're just trying to be annoying. I think the flowers are in your court by the way'

Bev elbows him, 'see what I did there, see, see what I did there, good innit?'

Jimmy pleads with Hannibal, 'please, I beg of you take pity on all of us?'

...................


	7. Betony

Late that night in the lab Will decides he can't stay awake any longer. All around him are pieces of paper, open books, scratched out lists and maps. On one of the whiteboards he's written up all the Tree man's flowers and plants and their meanings. 

He realises that no one has found out what the little nest that was found on the Tree man's head was made from. He goes and gets it from the evidence room. It takes him about fifteen minutes to work it out. Yawning all the while. Lime and Feverfew, and three pheasant eggs. He carefully puts it back into the evidence room.

He writes their meanings up too, they seem to be a little grouping all their own; protection, conjugal love, and family fertility. 

He yawns again. He must stop. His head is beginning to throb. He makes tracks for the team's break room, digs out the two emergency blankets that are always in one of the cupboards, kicks off his shoes, folds his jacket up into a really rubbish pillow and stretches out on the couch that's in there. In theory the couch is just to be sat on, but almost all of them have slept on it at some time. Not only slept on it either if Bev is to be believed.

....................

Brian, Jimmy and Bev stand in the break room looking down on Will. Still fast asleep. Not surprisingly as it is Sunday morning and the only reason the other three are in is the hope that there will be some leads on the Butcher from all the stuff coming in from the scene where Miriam was found. Will hadn't gone to sleep until just before 5am. It's only 9:30am now.

'Do you think we should wake him up?'

'He looks pretty solidly asleep Bev'

'Jims if you put the coffee on the smell will probably wake him up'

'Alright let's try that. I'd rather not actually wake him if he's totally out for the count'

'It'd be good if he's awake by the time that Jack gets here'

'I wonder if we should just take him home?'

'I can't carry him. He's too heavy, we tried that time he fell over on the Angel Maker case'

'Oh yeah, when he shouted at Jack cos he was really ill!'

'Where's Hannibal? I bet he could lift him up?'

'He's talking to the guy who brought all the boxes. I'll go and ask him'

Will continues to sleep, breathing in and out steadily. 

.......................

When Will wakes up in the afternoon he opens his eyes and instantly thinks he's lost time or been sleep walking or sleep driving, how the hell did he get home? He feels his forehead, nope that's ok, the dogs are asleep across the floor, so probably not sleep walking. Weird. He pulls himself out of bed and then realises at some point he lost his socks and shoes, shirt and pants. Ok. That is a bit weirder.

He gets out of bed and grabs a sweatshirt from the chest of drawers. It's an old university one with a hood which he pulls over his head in an effort to still be cocooned. He pulls on a pair of sweat pants. Hey look they match! Amazing. A sartorial win.

Downstairs in the living room nothing seems amiss. His wallet and keys and phone are on a side table, where they're usually automatically dumped in a bowl so he doesn't mislay them. His jacket is hung up on the hook in the entrance. It's like he's got house elves. In the kitchen there's a note and a small potted flower. Oh.

'Alright Will, we brought you home because you were sparked out and Jack is worried you'll be ill again. Don't think I carried you because you are one great lump. Hannibal did, and yeah yeah, did a good job of it too. Pics up on social media in a week unless you get it sorted. Plant's from him. Btw. I had to promise I wouldn't look it up. Why? What does a fucking primrose mean? Oh and another btw you talk in your sleep. Don't worry your secrets are safe with me. (Said no one ever who meant it) Jack says to call him, there's some kind of commendation likely, and he wants you to talk to Miriam as well. Btw, nice skivvies ;-) Bev'

He reads it again. And can't decide which is the worst bit. The being carried, the plant, the undressing him and getting him into bed, the talking in his sleep! Shit! He didn't know about that. The threats. Oh god. He fills the kettle with water and puts it on to boil. No one should face this kind of thing without coffee.

An hour later the dogs are fed and watered, he's showered and dressed and eaten two pop tarts. And an apple. So that if anyone asks he's had fruit today. And coffee is a bean right? Right. The florists is probably closed today but tomorrow he's going to buy a sodding bunch of red, orange and white roses with baby's breath and Hannibal can just decide what to do with that! 

Mentally Will decides he might still be a bit tired and emotional after last night. He checks the time, 3:30pm. He could go into the lab, or go for a walk, or go and talk to Hannibal, or go and visit Bella whose party he didn't go to and then totally disrupted. With any luck Jack won't even be there. Yeah, that's definitely the least bad option right this minute.

.....................

'Will, I'm so glad to see you. What you and Jimmy did? It's made Jack so happy. It's been grinding him down! Thank you so much'

'Actually I mainly came to say how sorry I was for wrecking your party'

'Oh tish tosh, don't you worry about that. You should see the leftovers I've got, actually, have you eaten, we could tuck in? Even my appetite is coming back now!'

'That sounds good. I'm embarrassed to say I was asleep from about 5am until 2pm, nine hours unbroken is almost unheard of for me'

'Oh yes, Hannibal said they took you home. He was worried about you, is worried I should say. You doing anything about that?'

Bella enjoys watching Will go a lovely dark pink. She sits across from him at the kitchen table. In front of them are different Tupperware boxes that Will recognises as Hannibal's, Bella opens them all and then reaches behind her and grabs a couple of forks and passes one to Will.

'Tuck in. If we don't eat it Jack will. He was skinny as a kid. You'd never know it now. So, tell me, why were you up till 5am?'

'Oh, I got this idea,,hmmmff,... wow this is good, hmmmmffl, delicious, yeah anyway, that we were not looking at Tree man carefully enough. It pointed us to Miriam, and I got to say I think that's deliberate, so I'm wondering a few things. It could be that the tree man killer isn't the Butcher but wanted us to find Miriam, or it is him and he's got a wider objective, I don't know what yet? Mess with us maybe. Or he didn't think we'd find Miriam. It was a pretty big radius. It was only the ragwort that helped narrow it down.'

'Yes, Jack tried and failed to explain, how did that work?'

'Oh. Easy really. It's a notifiable plant, I reckoned if someone saw it they might report it, then we just had to cross check it with the right access to the right water and enough privacy. There were three places that matched and two of them had no buildings on. People take ragwort seriously as it's so bad for horses'

'So it was a clue?'

'Possibly. Which makes me wonder about the other plants. Whether they're a clue to something? Or if the ragwort was just an unlucky accident'

'What have you got?'

Will digs his note book out, strictly speaking this is an ongoing investigation but, well, it's Bella. So Will decides to let that slide a little. She looks at the list.

'So what else do you have apart from the flowers? The tree itself, the eggs? Interesting I didn't know they had symbolic meanings too'

Will smiles. Almost everything does when you come down to it, in one culture or another. 

'I think you're right that that's a little grouping. Were the eggs empty?'

'I don't know. I didn't think to look. That's a good question. I'll ring Jimmy. He might still be there ... Jims, it's Will. I've got a query. Are you in the lab? Great? Well, not great it being a Sunday, but, have you lifted the eggs out of the nest? Can I ask you to check if they're empty or not and ring me back? Yeah? Thanks..... he's going to look. Thanks I hadn't thought of that.'

Whilst Will has been on the phone she's been looking at the plant names and their meanings. 

'You know, it's got my name in there'

'Oh yeah? How do you mean?'

'If you just use the plant names and ignore the meanings it's got my names, see, an anagram'

She turns the piece of paper round, some of the letters scored through. He looks at it. "Bella Crawford". He looks at it some more, excitement rising.

'Oh. My. Greek. Gods. I think you've got something. Bella I love you. Thanks for the grub I have got to go!'

She laughs as he stuffs another fork full into his face before he grabs up the paper and rushes for the door.


	8. Solomon's Seal

Jimmy and Bev watch Will walk up and down the lab. He's not quite doing his thing but it's close. When he arrived he'd said, 

'Don't say anything, I think I'm on the edge of something'

They've kept quiet waiting to see what happens.

On one white board it now says:-

WHITE OLEANDER, WHITE CHERRY, BELLADONNA, FEVERFEW, LIME, RAGWORT 

On the next it says:-

Nest: protection, conjugal love, family fertility

Eggs: Callisto, Europa, Ganymede??? Zeus? Query flowers? Query astronomy? Constellations? Aquila, Taurus, Ursa Major? Map? In the centre? Cassiopeia? Vanity?? Correspondences?? Bear? Cow? Bull? Eagle? Query Io? Moon?

Tree:- caution, silence, humble but proud, deception???? Possible secondary meaning - I declare war

He can't get the egg thing. When Jimmy had checked there was a tiny piece of paper in each one, each with a name of one of the major moons of Jupiter on it, minus Io. He just can't work out why. It's got to mean something? Unless? 

'So. The eggs are in the nest. The contents of the eggs point us to these three constellations. Slap bang in the middle is Cassiopeia which symbolises vanity. So, maybe he's saying these things, family, conjugal love, the protection these give, they're all just vanities. Ok, so maybe the nest represents the vanities of humans. In thinking these things protect you?'

He starts pacing again,

'Maybe the tree is meant to convey that these flowers are deceptive, or that tree man was deceptive? That he was too cautious, that he kept silent when he shouldn't, that he was apparently humble but proud. That he was a typical politician? Deceptive and if we add in the eggs, vain as well, using his family as a front? Or to protect him? I guess that fits his background? But I'm still missing it'

He rubs his face with his hands. 

'I can't get it. I'm stuck. Damn'

'Do you want a drink of something?'

'Really? I want to just have untangled this so I can go home and stop worrying about it' he groans a little 'Yeah tea would be nice'

Jimmy hops off the bench to go and make tea for the three of them, Bev looks at the boards,

'It does occur to me that if this is the Butcher then you've done a good job of peeling out the meaning, he probably did despise the guy as deceitful and vain and poisonous. It's just unusual for him to be quite so laboured about it'

'You're right. It is. It's normally clean. Theatrical, elaborate, but there's always a kind of purity, a simplicity. There's something not quite right here'

'Do you think he had help and that's why it's messed up?'

'Well if Miriam is right either he's got a female accomplice or something or the Butcher is a woman.'

'A sadistic female serial is incredibly unusual'

'It is, it is. God my head hurts. I think I'm a bit dehydrated'

'You haven't got a temperature have you?'

Bev holds out her hand and Will comes close enough for her to touch it to his forehead,

'I think that's ok, drink some water as well as the tea, have you eaten?'

'Yeah, breakfast at lunchtime and then party food at Bella's, leftovers from last night'

'I'm sorry you didn't see the scene, I expect you'd have got it from that and none of this would be an issue.'

'Yeah. Well. Never mind. I'm still wondering about whether it's an anagram, the plant names, Bella pointed out her names were in it'

'Well it's not so likely to be her, but Crawford might be relevant.'

'Yeah. Maybe. Thanks Jimmy. Great. Perfect hits the spot. How are you at word puzzles?'

'Oh. Not bad, I do the Times of London crossword a few times a week. Frederick's better, he's amazing at scrabble. Hannibal's good. Jack does the New York Times one. What's your thinking?'

'I don't know if really we need a cryptologist, but the plant names could be an anagram'

The three of them look at the white board with the letters.

'We can't do this on our own. We might manage with the others. Shall I ring Jack?'

'Jimmy? What do you think? Shall we give it a go, will you ring Frederick?'

'Alright, I'll ring Hannibal too, someone better phone Brian or he'll get all upset if he's left out'

'Is he any good at puzzles?'

'No, but someone needs to keep the coffee coming and the pizza'

Both Bev and Will brighten. Pizza is always a good idea.  
...................

Will is quite carefully not looking at Hannibal as he explains where they've got to so far,

'So, we think the tree man is the usual elaborate tableau telling us why the Butcher despised this particular person, as well as the specifics of what he represent or symbolises. But we think there's more going on than usual. And given it's already multi-layered that's saying something! We think the plant names are an anagram. Possibly even a message. But it might be a code? You're all good at puzzles and word games, so, we hope between us we might crack it. We thought everyone should work alone to begin with and then see where we are in half an hour or so? Ok? Brian's going to keep us going with coffee and stuff'

Will smiles at everyone whilst carefully avoiding eye contact with anyone. He gets out a note book and sits at one of the tables and gets on with his own attempt at decoding the puzzle, if indeed there is one. It there isn't, this is going to be a big waste of time! Hannibal watches Will for a few minutes and then settles in to working the puzzle himself.

Thirty minutes later everyone still has their heads down. Will is too absorbed to notice that the time has passed. When it hits an hour Brian risks Will's wrath by nudging him. Will blinks in surprise.

'Right, sorry about that. Ok no pressure but we'll go round the group, Frederick anything?'

'I tried a number substitution, just a simple double one, but nothing, sorry'

On the white board Will writes up "number sub", he looks at Jack,

'Caesar shift. Also nothing.'

Will adds it to the board,

'Jims?'

'Transposition. And it looked possible for three words but it petered out and all the words were short so it's probably meaningless'

'Ok, fair enough, Hannibal?'

Hannibal smiles at him, it's the first time he's actually had eye contact with Will since the first bouquet of flowers, Will manages a small smile back, 

'I tried a few diagrammatic codes, sadly, like Jimmy nothing substantial. I wondered about an encoder ring? But if it is I feel like the Butcher would have given us more. It does make me wonder if the plant names are they key. There are other flowers and plants that have the same meanings so these in particular must have been chosen for a reason'

Will looks at him and slowly nods his head, 

'Ok. Yeah. I spent some time thinking about a book code. I've got the three most popular books for flower language here, but it's not any of them. But I think Hannibal has a good point. A really good point. It's the names themselves. Which means it probably is an anagram/message. Which will be a bitch to crack as it's so long. I've got a frequency list somewhere I'll get it up on the display board when I find it.'

Hannibal adds,

'If the Butcher has a helper the message might be from him or her, if they were the one who supplied the flowers, the Butcher just telling them what meanings he wanted to convey? And that could help explain why it feels so overwrought. Two different people, two different messages, one with a short term agenda, one with a long term one.'

Damn, two crazy sadistic serial killers or one dominant killer with an assistant. They all look at the plant names.


	9. Billberry

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> For those who like cyphers and codes, and riddles, otherwise you can skip this chapter!

'Of course this means there are possibly three messages?'

'Frederick?'

'Well, the message from the Butcher concerning the councilman. Which normally would be enough on its own! But there's also the message from someone either the Butcher or the assistant telling you where to find Miriam Lass. And this third message, if it is one?'

'Yeah. Ok. Good summary. I know I'm not being very clear. It just feels like there is something more than the councilman and the directions. There's something. I think it's the ragwort. That just feels too convenient.'

Will gives a big sigh. 'Ok. Right! Anagrams, half an hour? And then pool words? Real half hour this time?'

There are smiles and everyone sets to. Thirty minutes later they pool the longest words they've found: 

Crawford, Heaven, Yearn, Begat.

'It could start with "tell Crawford" whoever drafted the message wouldn't expect Jack to work it out himself'

Will adds "tell" to the list of words. 

Hannibal adds, 'if we have heaven then why not "hell" as well? We have enough "l"s'

"Hell" goes up on the board. From the post it board Will removes all the letters that have been used. 

Bev grimaces, 'I feel like I'd get on much better if I ate something? Brian? You're in charge of food'

'Yeah, and don't think I don't know that you think I'm rubbish at word puzzles? Alright, what do people want, and Hannibal I'm not going to that swanky place for take out again! They hated me last time, even after I got out the badge!'

Everyone grins, Hannibal's loathing of take out is well known. Nevertheless Brian sorts out orders and then ducks out to go and collect. In the meantime the group work as a whole and manage to eke 'tried' from the remaining letters.

They all look at the letters that are left, it's most likely they're smaller words, Will finds the remote for the overhead screen and gets a page up with word frequencies.

They add in, me, I, For, Now,

Tell. Here. Crawford. I. Yearn. Tried. For. I. Hell. Now. Heaven. Begat. Me. 

'We've got "WW" left. It could be a signature, or another code? W is the 23rd letter of the alphabet, so 23+23 which is 46, don't know what that tells us? 46 in Roman numerals is XLVI. Errr. 23 is XXIII + XXIII, feel free to jump in any time. I don't know what I'm doing with this?'

'Is 23 or XXIII or 46 or XLVI the number of something important?'

'Oh. Yeah. Could it be a reference to the 23 enigma? Who was the goddess, shit it's in my brain somewhere. Eris. Ok someone look up Eris. Or the law of fives? 2+3+2+3=10 and 23+23=46 and 4+6=10, is there anything in that? Written number 10 could look like Io, who is our missing moon. It's a stretch. Eris?'

'Dwarf planet, bigger the Pluto? So another star related thing? To go with the other moons?'

'Could be. Mythology?'

'Another offspring of Zeus. Goddess of discord. Some kind of thing about 23 being related to Cythulu?'

'46 is the number of chromosomes? And books in the Old Testament? Ok this site says it's the numerical code for "Adam"'

'In Japanese it's sometimes used as a greeting, the words are very close'

Everyone turns and looks at Hannibal who shrugs slightly 'I learnt Japanese as a child. My aunt is Japanese'

Will blinks at him, that's new 'ok and WW is sometimes short for White Widow, a euphemism for strong marijuana. Nope. Ok Folks, I've got nothing, maybe it's just their initials?'

Brian shoves open the lab door with his backside and comes in carrying a cardboard box.

'I hope this is good timing because your cute delivery boy has arrived'

'Oooh' says Bev 'where is he then?'

Brian narrows his eyes at her 'nice Bev. You better tell me you solved this'

...................

The group sit round and eat the various take-out options. They've done fantastically well to get as far as they have. Will pushes aside his carton of noodles and grabs up a pen and some paper and writes one word on each, he tries putting them in different orders,

Tell Crawford I Tried I Yearn For Heaven No Hell Begat Me Here Now.

Tell Crawford I Tried, Now Heaven Begat Me, I Yearn For Hell Here.

Tell Crawford I Tried, Heaven Begat Me Here, I Yearn For Hell Now.

He gets up and sticks the phrase up on the board, Hannibal looks up and joins him in front of it,

'It faintly reminds me of Milton? Or Dante? Or possibly even Blake?'

'It's got that feel hasn't it? I've put the first four words up like this because they seem to be separate. It's as though they're somewhere so bad even Hell would be an improvement? And they were put there by something people see as positive or divine. It isn't an actual quote is it? I don't know enough Blake?'

'I don't think so, it's not the right cadence or meter, he tended to use quatrains and rhymes or half rhymes.'

'What's canto 23 or 46 in Dante or Milton?'

Hannibal looks at Will, 'I like that you assume I know'

Will looks back at him 'honestly? I'd be amazed if you didn't?'

Hannibal smiles widely, 'in Dante's Inferno canto XXIII is concerned with the Hippocrites and the fable of the mouse and the frog. In the Purgatorio Dante meets with a poet, in the Paradisio XXIII, Dante regains his sight. None of the books have a 46th Canto. Paradise Lost is in 12 books, Paradise Regained has only four'

'Not so much to be said for paradise then?'

'Perhaps not. But he had a good deal to say about losing it. It's good to see you Will. I'd thought perhaps we might only now be communicating through flowers!'

Will smiles a little, 'If that's what you'd prefer?'

'Not at all. Will you come back with me after?'

Will looks hard at the verse again, and then back at Hannibal 'I'd like that'

Jack comes to join them at the board and the two other men shift up to let him have some space, Hannibal standing just slightly closer to Will than is polite. Will hyper conscious of Hannibal's arm brushing his own. It feels like there's a static charge building between them.

'Of course in Latin a "w" was a "v", and it's often silent, like in wrap, or write, or wreck. Maybe they're just doubly silent. Or silenced twice?'

Hannibal and Will look at Jack. Interesting idea. Will says,

'A "V" is the number five in Roman numerals, V+V = X or 10 in Arabic numerals. Back to ten again'

'Or a "w" looks like two "vs" so maybe it's v+v+v+v= XX or 20'

'Or it's the old "u u" a "double u", so four "u"s? Or just "4u"

'What if it is "2". What if they had run out flowers and options so they had to hope whoever broke the code would substitute a number for a word and all they'd got were two "w"s? What if it's:

"I Tried 2 Tell Crawford, Heaven Begat Me Here, I Yearn For Hell Now."

Jack! Does this remind you of anything? Did anyone try and tell you something, to do with a case, or a person or event?'

Jack looks at the board, and very slowly as though the words have to pass through treacle first he manages, 

'It's still on my notice board in the office. Miriam left a note when she went to interview whoever it was before the Butcher took her. It's a postcard by Blake. I don't remember of what. I'll get it'

There's a rustle of excitement, when Jack comes back he says,

'She addressed it to "the guru", It's a line drawing of Dante and Virgil and the Hippocrites, says here it might be John Linnell rather than Blake'

'Oh yes, he was in that group, called themselves the Ancients, Samuel Palmer too'

The group look at Jimmy 'I have culture, and before you say it Brian Zeller, not just in a Petri dish'

'I've just realised something'

Everyone looks at Will expectantly, 

'This is the second message, it is Canto 23, it is from Miriam! She maybe had to help the Butcher or something. She was telling us he still had her. That she was still alive. I guess she knew that by now we'd thought she must be dead. Damn. There isn't a third message. The Ragwort was just an accident. Shit'

'She was moved recently. Maybe he wanted to make sure we didn't find her, maybe there was something in the tableau that might have been a hint? Maybe he realised something was off but he didn't know what? Or that there was something, or someone, from a previous victim'

Bev interjects 'Or the ragwort wasn't an accident there is still an assistant or someone who wanted us to know where to find her? Someone who didn't think it was right that she might end up dead, who knew about her, but is too afraid to go against him?'

'Who's talked to Miriam?'

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And here's the deconstruction of the anagram - with thanks to Daring D who let me know I'd fudged the letters, all sorted now, it's a hanagram..
> 
> W h i t e o l e a n d e r w h i t e c h e r r y b e l l a d o n n a l i m e f e v e r f e w r a g w o r t
> 
> W h i t e o l e a n d e r w h i t e c h e r r y b e l a d o n n a i m f e v e r f e w r a g w o r Tell
> 
> W h i t e o l e a n d e r w h i t e h e r r y b e l a o n n a i m f e v e r e g w Crawford
> 
> W h i t e o l e a n d e r w h i t e h e r r y b e l a o n n a m f e v e r e g w I
> 
> W h i t e o l e a n e r w h h e r r y b e l a o n n a m f e v e e g w Tried
> 
> W h i t e o l e a n e r w h r r y b e l a o n m f e e g w Heaven
> 
> W h i e o l e n e r w h r r y l a o n m f e e w. Begat
> 
> W h i e o l e n e r w h r r y l a o n f e w. Me
> 
> W h i e o l e n r w r y l a o n f w. Here
> 
> W h e o l e n r w r y l a o n f w I
> 
> W h o l e w r l o n f w Yearn
> 
> W h o l e w l n w For
> 
> W o w n w Hell 
> 
> W w Now
> 
> WW


	10. Azalea

Will and Hannibal walk down the stairs from the hospital room where Miriam is under armed guard. She's still recovering, but is remarkably cheerful. She'd had someone to talk to as well as access to newspapers, radio, television and books whilst she was being held. And this seems to have kept her going for the two years. She'd made the point that of course she was aware she was capture bonded to her companion. But the woman had never tried to explain why she'd been taken. 

And the plants had been all her. She and the woman had spent a happy few days gathering flowers, making the nest, making the bouquet for the innards. Miriam said she didn't know what they were being used for just that it involved a white cherry. She'd worked incredibly hard to think of a message that would convey something to Jack so he'd know it was from her, a proof of life message. She'd prayed her cod Dante would be good enough. She'd laughed when Will explained all the code breaking and analysis they'd done.

'Oh wow, I had no idea! I didn't know what any of the plants meant! It was just the names I was interested in. I didn't know about the eggs. What was that?'

'Scraps of paper with the names of three of the largest moons of Jupiter, Ganymede, Callisto and Europa'

'Doesn't mean anything to me. Must be something else?'

'I guess, I've no idea though, I looked at the constellations, the mythology, the animal symbols, and before you ask I didn't try an anagram. Shit. Maybe I should have!'

The three of them spend ten minutes trying it, 'nope, lots of words, can't get a sentence, must be something else. Worth a try. Miriam when are they going to release you?'

'I'm not sure, I think Jack is worried they might try and grab me again. Oh. Wait. What if I was moved because something was going to happen at the place where I was being held? Have you had anything recently?'

'No, just the tree man. Except, I know we got something last week about horse mutilations, but there were no people involved so it got passed on'

'There were horses where I was staying. It was one of the reasons why I used ragwort, it made sense for me to be clearing it'

'Alright. That's useful. Thanks. We should let you get back to sleep'

'Nice to have a change of face and pace. I'm really grateful Will, Jack says he's putting you and Jimmy in for a commendation. I looked at the potential search area, you might not have found me before I was moved back again. And actually I picked the ragwort from the original house not the barn. So it was just dumb luck!'

Will smiles at her 'that's my favourite kind. I'll come by later in the week if that'd work for you? I'll bring you the latest puzzles!'

........

'She was smart. That was an incredibly clever thing to do. I'm betting the Butcher had no idea she'd done anything'

'I believe that is so. Which would suggest that the woman with whom she was staying didn't try to send a message, or know what she was doing either'

'I think you're right. I think the ragwort was a lucky accident. And if Miriam is right the house she was held in is within the same radius so the diatoms could have pointed there. I suppose the question is why the Butcher didn't kill her, just moved her?'

'If he'd not intended for her to be found then he must have had some purpose for her still in mind.'

'Yeah. I know, it's not a great thought. I wonder how many long term missing women there are? How long has the Butcher been active now? Eight years, give or take a month or two? I wonder how many women have gone missing in the last eight years and have never showed up. It also means that the ragwort wasn't reported wherever she was being held, the two other sites we found didn't have buildings on them'

'Did you see the schematics?'

'No the Ag and Fish guys looked at them, they narrowed it down. Oh shit. I should have looked, I didn't think, damn. What time is it? God 11:49 pm, it's too late to ring them now isn't it?'

'Perhaps if you rang one of the men you met yesterday, they may still feel sufficiently buoyed by the success?'

'You think? Ok. How to win friends and influence people...... Joe? This is Will Graham. I'm so sorry to ring you so late. Yeah? That's nice of you. Ok two questions, do you have the maps of the other properties where ragwort was notified? Ok that's great. Do they have dates on them? Really? OK? That's great. Thank you. I will, I'll let you know............... ok, one of the maps is from 1972, some kind of water rights issue, and the other is from 1990, boundaries being re-drawn. He said that one of them laps right up against the Verger estate, boundary issue was between them'

'The Verger's? Well. Mason is somewhat challenging as an individual but I'd hesitate to think he might be the Butcher. I don't think he'd have been old enough. And his father, who might have been capable has been dead for six years.'

'Well, not necessarily them of course, but someone making use of their property? Joe said the maps are on line, he's going to email the gps coordinates. I'm sorry, I better go back to the lab to work on this some more'

'Do you not think maybe you should have some sleep?'

'Uh huh. That's what you had in mind?'

Hannibal blushes slightly, 'I think I can honestly say sleeping had been in my mind for at least some of the time between today and tomorrow'

Will laughs 'I like the smooth way you wriggled out of that. I still better go. Something on account?'

Hannibal looks puzzled for a moment and then realisation dawns. He moves closer to Will. Will murmurs 'mistletoe' and Hannibal smiles 'I know that one'. 

...................

Back in the lab Will thinks about the kiss. Kisses plural. Hmmm. Good. Maybe he'll still send the roses though. It'd be nice if Hannibal got them at breakfast time. He digs out his phone and places an internet order with his new best friends. Yawning to himself he gets back to checking coordinates, and planetary alignments and other kinds of esoteric correspondences.

At 3:30 he decides it's enough. He grabs his bag and jacket and closes everything down before he leaves. Back home he does an internet search and then sends a picture of a zephyr flower as a gif to Hannibal who he is reasonably sure will be asleep by now. He's wrong, he gets a gooseberry back, which makes him laugh and then look up. He smiles, it means "anticipation".


	11. Hydrangea

Hannibal smiles at Rosie, standing on his doorstep with a bunch of roses in hand. It's sufficiently early he is still in pyjamas and robe.

'This is nice surprise, please, would you like to come in?'

Rosie grins. Now this is a house she could get behind! Just right for flower displays too. Big ones! Expensive ones!

'Who does your flowers Dr L? I think you could got for something a little more dramatic don't you? The house could stand it? I'm sure you could too!'

She does a little wriggle of her eyebrows which reminds him instantly of Beverly Katz. He smiles as he ushers her forwards into the kitchen. As they pass through the dining room her face makes a perfect round O to match the shape of her mouth o,

'Oooooooh, I like this, this is very nice. And the Leda too, very saucy. That Zeus knew a thing or two didn't he?'

She doesn't actually wink but she sounds like she is. His eyes crinkle up at the corners and then his face goes still,

'Just a moment. You've made me think of something'

Rosie smiles at him and wanders back to the herb wall to have a good look at it. Hannibal has his cell phone out,

'Will? It's Hannibal. The three moons, they were all seduced by Zeus, who in the Roman Pantheon is Jupiter of course, they were put in the heavens to keep them as a reminder. What if our killer is putting the women somewhere? .........Somewhere they'll be a reminder............What if there is a message from someone else?.......... Yes....... Exactly....... Can you look at any recent retrievals........ Maybe Miriam was going to finish up there....I know she said the ragwort was just luck, but maybe the three places are connected. And the maps are quite old, they wouldn't show more recent buildings. Ah you did think of that, oh I see..... There could be.... exactly. Yes! Good. I will see you there........ eat some breakfast first...... not a pop tart. ....... yes, I know..... no that doesn't count ...good.'

He puts the cell down in the surface and returns to the dining room,

'Do come and have some coffee, you have given me an excellent idea. One of our colleagues was found this weekend after having been abducted two years ago'

Rosie's face gets rounder if that's even possible,

'Oooh yes, it was all over the news, our little Will found her, and a very nice dapper man too, Timmy?'

'Jimmy' and Hannibal is mentally rubbing his hands in glee at this smorgasbord of possible embarrassment that he could tip over both of his colleagues. Especially if Will is as errant as he thinks he could be.

'Yes, they did. And we think there's a link to another case. So thank you for the idea. Now, milk or cream? And sugar?'

...............

In a stables out in Virginia a vet is sitting on the ground panting hard, the head groom leaning up against one of the stalls looking like he might be sick.

'Woah! What the! I didn't expect that!

On the floor of the stable in front of them lies the body of a horse that gave birth to a still born foal just days previously. Only now, the vet has re-opened the stitches that closed the site, and a very dead woman has slid naked from the horse's belly onto the straw covered concrete floor.

'Tom, you'd better call the sheriff, maybe the Feds too. This doesn't look good at all. Do you know the girl, don't touch just look'

The head lad comes over and peers into the face of the dead woman,

He almost whispers 'it's Sarah. God. She hasn't been around this week. God', he rushes to the door and manages to be sick outside.

............

Will is excited, he and Hannibal have compared notes and possibilities in the light of the various ideas they've had since they spoke to Miriam. The team are all gathered together to hear the latest update,

'We talked to Miriam last night, she says that the plant meanings were all accidental she just needed the letters to make a message the Butcher wouldn't understand or notice. She tried an anagram once before, but I guess we didn't see it for what it was. She said, and I love that she did this, she tried nine different ways to get in touch with us. She tried to make it as obscure as possible. I think she didn't realise just how far we'd go with it. We'll have to put it into the manual for agents. Really it's brilliant.'

The team just look at Will, sometimes he's not just on a different planet he's orbiting in a whole other solar system.

'The Ragwort she thought was just luck, but actually we think it's likely that the three places where it's been reported may be connected. And because of the egg thing we think there might be another helper or assistant as well as the woman. Someone who likes the old stories and myths. But who is a reluctant participant. We'll need to keep an eye out for any relevant cases over the next week or two. Ok. I think that's everything? Hannibal? Anything else?'

Hannibal smiles and shakes his head, and then changes his mind 

'I think we need to bear in mind that Miriam may be as honest as she can be with us, but she may also have been manipulated and some of what she says may have been planted, or may just be very partial as well as partisan. I don't think she would intentionally mislead us, but she may have been coached or drugged or hypnotised and we have no way of knowing that yet. Frederick is going to conduct an indepth debriefing with her. Jack's decided the rest of us are really too close, Jack?'

'Thanks. Frederick will see her later today and hopefully we'll start to get a clearer picture if there is one. I sanctioned Will and Hannibal's visit in the hope we might get closer to the Butcher. You all know it. As I live and breathe I want that man!'

There's general nodding and agreement. The Butcher has been a horrible killer, who seems to have multiple modes, some of which he runs in parallel, copying other killers, helping other killers, killing other killers, and now this possible abduction and subsequent killing of women, as well as his own particular brand of what Will once called "field kabuki". They all detest him. Even if just occasionally Will says a particular tableau is arresting or interesting.

Will turns to speak to Hannibal, but before he's got much further than hello, and did you like the roses, Jack is shouting for him from his office,

'Will? Will, Jimmy, Brian, Bev oh for god's sake all of you. Dead woman and dead horse, out in rural Virginia, old farmland, new stables'

Bev looks a question at him 'and?'

'Dead woman was inside the horse'

There's a mini stampede for the door.


	12. Hawthorn

Bev is sitting in the back of the SUV with Will, Jimmy and Brian are in the front, Hannibal is with Jack in the Bentley. They are on their way to the gruesome find in the stables. Brian, who can hardly believe Bev has let him drive without a fight, asks over his shoulder,

'So there were three messages?'

'Yes, the Butcher's tableau, Miriam's anagram, and the eggs and their contents.'

Bev grins, 'I just love that we found her but for the wrong reason. Do you think the diatoms in Tree man's lungs were an accident?'

Jimmy laughs, 'I can't decide, it was a big search area really, even though the ragwort narrowed it down. Maybe she was just moved for some reason and we got lucky. Usually I'd be worrying away at it. But this time? I've decided who cares why. I'll take it as a win!'

Bev smiles and asks Will, 'You think the horse thing is related'

'Miriam says there were horses where she was held, or near by' Will shrugs 'Or she thinks there were,'

'True.'

From the front Brian asks 'There's a whole lot of Greek myth stuff going on? Is this meant to be the Trojan horse?'

'It could be, I don't know, The Trojan horse was meant to trick the people of Troy'

'Sure, so they'd bring the horse inside the walls and the horse would open and all the Greeks hidden inside would sneak out'

'Maybe it's a way of getting us inside somewhere? Onto the farm?'

'Oh like a metaphor? A visual one?'

'Or it's like the eggs, a container with the wrong thing inside? I was trying to think of any myths where a horse gives birth to a person'

'Any luck?'

'Not yet. Maybe I'll get something from the scene'

Bev smiles at him, Will and his whizzy thing. They'd really missed it when he'd been out ill. She looks him over. He looks a bit tired but otherwise alright.

'So, how's it going? You and the doc'

'I think it's going southernwood. We're increasingly water-lily and glasswort'

'I hate you Will Graham'

'Birdsfoot Trefoil, Bev, Birdsfoot Trefoil'

.....................

In the stables the team look down at the horse and the body of the woman. There's a collective sigh and everyone backs up. Will has only been back for a short time and since returning this is the first scene he's been called to. He glances at his friends as they reach the door and he looks back at the scene. Mostly he feels rather sick. This isn't a tableau to be interpreted there's something else going on here.

He reaches towards the woman's hair but stops himself. And let's his eyes close. A hundred images assault his senses and his heart rate spikes, as his breathing accelerates he scrabbles back away from the bodies on his hands, and backside, and feet. He huffs some sharp breaths and pulls his glasses from his face and puts his head in his hands. Damn. That was sharp and more intense than it's been for a long while. The next moment Hannibal is kneeling down on one side of him and Will is clutching at his coat. Jack squats down in front of him and asks gently,

'Will? Ok?'

'Yes. Yes. Just. It's not the killer. He didn't kill her. He brought her here. Like a coffin birth. He. He wanted to bring her back to life.'

'Will? Never mind that for a moment. Are you ok?'

'Yeah. Thanks. God Jack. So intense. More than before'

Hannibal looks at Jack,

'It's possible the encephalitis acted as an inhibitor to the empathy. It may be necessary to limit Will's exposure'

'Yes. I get that. Will. Enough for now. Alright? There are some people I'd like you to talk to here. But wait a bit. Ok?'

'I'm alright Jack really'

'Will, it wasn't a request. Ok? I don't think you're broken ok? We're good. I just want you to take it slow'

Before Will had been hospitalised Jack had constantly fought with Will to do less. Sure they all wanted the cases closed but Will could get tangled up and desperate about it sometimes. Bev swore she'd had to sit on him on a couple of occasions.

'Hannibal, you take Will outside ok? Will, mandatory walk around and think beautiful thoughts ok?'

Will nods, Jack has always been careful, but the encephalitis had really shaken everyone. Will had feared he was going totally mad. Jimmy, Brian and Bev swing past him into the barn. And everything falls back into the normal routine of processing a scene.

Outside Will takes deeper breaths and initially, leaning slightly on Hannibal, they walk through the yard towards the access road. As they do so Will says quietly,

'You know this is one of the two other properties where there was ragwort?'

'Jack mentioned it in the car. Have you seen any yet?'

'Not yet. I'm wondering who Jack wants us to talk to?'

'I didn't ask I'm afraid. How are you now?'

'Alright. Heart rate still slightly elevated but mostly ok. Thank you'

'It seemed as though the effect was more pronounced?'

'More vivid. But I can't tell if that's because this isn't an actual tableau, this isn't how the killer meant us to find her. He may not have meant us to find her at all.'

The two men carry on walking along the road that leads from the property out to the main road. There is a fence running along both sides. At a gate Will stops to lean against it, he sets his back against it, Hannibal comes to a stand beside him leaning on the gate facing the other way.

'Hannibal, there's never a good time during a case, but we should try and make some time. To talk. Not just with flowers'

'Although it does hold an appeal'

Will smiles a little, 'Of course it does, you're a romantic sentimental European fop'

Hannibal considers, 'that may be fair. And you are not influenced by your Southern gothic roots?'

'Oh, I didn't say I wasn't as well, except for the Europeaness, and the jury is definitely out on the fop bit too. But I'm a romantic, and sentimental too. It's just hidden under a pile of dogs and fishing tackle most of the time'

Hannibal smiles, 'Will? I'd only want to ask that you're sure of this. I tend to fall rather hard'

Will looks at him 'that's alright then, it's too late for me already..... Come on we should go back. I'm sure we're needed for interviewing. But you should know there's pink convulvulus in your future. And I don't want to hear any comments about eidetic memory.'

Will pushes off the gate and starts to walk swiftly back up the road, Hannibal looks out over the field and smiles to himself. And then turns and walks a little faster than his usual saunter to catch up. When he does he lays one hand on Will's shoulder and they walk along like that for a while.

.......................

'I, I, I, don't know where she went. She just went. She was here and then she wasn't. She went. Away. She went away.'

'Peter, have there been other people that came and went away?'

Bev, tries again, Peter lives here on the farm but the relationships aren't clear. He seems to know something has happened. But how much? Even that is unclear. She smiles at him again,

'Did someone take your friend away?'

'Yes. Away. All of them. He took them. He always takes things.'

'Who did he take honey? Sarah?'

'He took Sarah and the other. But I don't know where. I don't. Only Sarah'

Will takes over from Bev and asks gently, 'We've found Sarah now. You meant us to find her didn't you? It's why you gave her a place to rest'

'You'd have to come then. You'd have to. So you could come inside. She went away and didn't come back. She comes back. Usually'

Bev smiles at the quiet traumatised man again. She stands and walks closer to Hannibal and asks,

'I think he's talking about three women? Sarah Craber and maybe two others. One of them might be Miriam. I've got her picture shall I show him?'

'He might be glad to know she is alright?'

'Ok, I'll try' she looks back to where Will is crouched down in front of Peter, 

'He trusts Will'

Hannibal smiles at her 'I think we all do'


	13. Helenium

In the autopsy suite the lab team look at Jack, they're all shocked. There's a Starling sitting on one of the overhead lamps shaking itself, cleaning its wings.

'What the fuckkkk?'

'I thought she had a heartbeat? Oh my. This is one of the oddest things...'

When Sarah Craber's body was brought in for autopsy everything had gone as per usual until Jimmy thought he detected a heart beat. How could there be a heart beat? And why was there earth stuffed down her throat? When they'd carefully opened the thoracic cavity the bird had leapt for freedom.

'What is this?'

'The bird taking the soul to heaven?'

'I thought that was bees?'

'How are we going to get it down?'

'How did he get it in her in the first place?'

'Someone get Will. He'll.. I don't know what he'll do'  


'He might know how to get it down'

They gaze up at it, the bird apparently unconcerned.

..................

Out at the farm Jack and Will knock on the door and then carefully enter a large room that is half conservatory and half falling down shed. All round the room are cages of different sizes and shapes. Inside a range of birds and small creatures. Injured or ill. Will looks at three cages each with mice in.

'Peter? We brought the bird back. For you. I knew you'd be concerned, here it is. Are you here? Hello?'

Peter steps out from behind a large pile of empty cages. 

'You brought it? Brought the bird? I wanted to know how it is. How it is.'

'We thought you'd look after it'

'I do, I will. Until they don't need me. Sometimes they can go away. Far away. It's good when they go away. Even if I miss them. It's ok then. Ok. Shall I show you where they go if they don't need me?'

Jack glances at Will, 'is it near?'

'It's just round the corner. Not far. A small walk. '

Jack shrugs minimally and smiles a little, Peter picks up a jacket and the three men walk out of the building. Peter locks it carefully behind him. 

'He'll come other wise. He'll come. He likes the dark.'

'Peter? Is this a dark friend? Someone no one else can see?'

'They don't see him right. Not right. Only some bits. I can see. But no one else. No one believes me.'

'Peter, you know we found Miriam don't you? Beverly showed you the photograph?'

'Yes. Yes. He was going to give her to the dark. Like the others. He wanted to. But it went too fast. Too fast. She left. She left.'

'Miriam left?'

'No. No. No. he took her, hid her. Before he was ready.'

'She's been with you a long time hasn't she? Sarah was only here for a short time?'

'Sarah was always here. Always. Long time. Very long time. She came here. She helped me with the foal. Yes. When we buried the foal.'

Will glances at Jack again, this is complicated, maybe Sarah wasn't taken by the Butcher, or he didn't plan it. Something happened which meant he had to kill her.

'It's over here. Over here. Where they go when they don't need me any more'

Ahead they can see what amounts to a pet cemetery. With wooden markers. Will looks around as Jack asks Peter some more questions trying to work out who the third woman was. The one that Miriam said held her hostage.

Will comes over to Peter and Jack and smiles at them,

'Peter, do most of your friends end up here?'

'No, no. He just gets upset. Some of them. He gets upset. He won't let them go away. They have to stay.'

Jack looks a question at Will, and Will draws Jack over to three wooden markers, the ones nearest the buildings, one which is clearly empty. Of something large. The three markers all have names "Ganymede", "Callisto" and "Europa".

'Peter, what was the name of the horse that died?'

'She's Europa. Her foal didn't live, died. Inside. Died. Inside. He was going to be Ganymede. I let him be. I let him be.'

Will looks at Jack, "Animal names. Actual names. Burials'

'Yes' Jack says slowly, 'Animals. Peter, is it just your friends buried here? Just the birds and animals? Or other friends?'

Peter looks at him and a shy smile breaks out on his face,

'all my friends, all of them. When he doesn't want them any more.' 

...................

Jack sighs long and hard. They'd unearthed thirteen bodies by the time he left the farm. Peter's social worker has been called in, ostensibly because he's designated as Peter's responsible adult but really because Peter has named him as the dark friend behind all the deaths.

Alana is questioning him, and there is currently a debate going on about whether Miriam Lass will be allowed to see him, just through a viewing window, to confirm if he is the man who held her or not. Alana is making a good job of it. Pushing on his feelings, on his attitudes towards women. On his attitudes towards Peter. Despite his claims to the contrary, that he is a caring man, there is something cold and heartless when he speaks of Peter.

Eventually Clark Ingram has had enough and extolling the virtues of his cooperation he leaves. There is little at this point that anyone can do to prevent it. He has however been photographed. And this along with an array of other photographs is shown to Miriam. She picks him out without hesitation. As well as a picture of Peter.

'He was there a lot. The woman who looked after me, kept me. She knows him. Or he knows her. There's some kind of relationship. She wasn't there just before I was moved. Maybe that's why I was moved? She had to go somewhere? Or something with Peter? I don't know. I'm sorry. Any time I tried to leave. It was difficult. It wasn't so much an overt threat. Just, I knew I couldn't. Frederick helped me remember there was a graveyard. I only saw it at night. With burials. Animals as well as people. Peter used it for any animals who died. He, not Peter, I think he practiced. On them. For his other kills, the public ones'

The burials go back a little over a decade. The oldest human grave dates from a little before the first known Butcher kill. The body is too far deteriorated to see if there are similar marks to the first tableau that the Butcher created. There is some gentle theorising going in that he might have begun with animal mutilations and scaled up. It's a common belief that one is a precursor to the other. Though it's a theory that's been widely debunked in the psychiatric and psychological academic press.

.................

'16 bodies, all young women same victim profile as Miriam. Disappeared anything between three weeks and two and a half years before they died. There must have been overlaps. Miriam thinks there was someone else when she first arrived. But she was kept on her own for weeks. She's not sure. She was in the well then. She thinks there was someone in the pit next door. We've checked for trace. All three of the pits had someone in at some time, one of them had three different sets of female DNA. We're still waiting for a victim match to any of the bodies.'

'So Miriam identifies both Ingram and Peter. But what's she a witness to? Abduction, can't even be sure he abducted her. She says she saw nothing else. Peter says he did, but he's not the most credible witness. Certainly if Ingram gets on the stand he could demolish Peter with a few well chosen sentiments.'

Will sighs, 'I hate that we're stuck. We can't protect Peter from Ingram. We've nothing on Ingram. Yet. We're relying on compromised forensics. None of the other farm staff know anything about it. Just that Peter works the yard, looks after the smaller animals. Used to be a lad, for the horses, got kicked in the head. I don't know if we've got any further with the other woman?'

'Nothing yet. Did Miriam do a composite?'

Jack shakes his head. 'Not yet. On the list of things to do. At the moment it's this I want sorted. If Ingram is the Butcher I want him. Smooth bastard. Thinks he's so clever'

'Pomegranate' mutters Will, Hannibal snorts and then tries to sneeze to cover it.

Jack narrows his eyes at both of them.


	14. Rosebay

Bev looks at Peter through the glass of the two way mirror, 

'Have we really got nothing? Ingram seems a piece of work?'

Will's face is grim, but he keeps quiet.

'We have to look at him too. I agree that Ingram is a piece of shit. But he's articulate and he's made a good case'

Bev looks at Jack, even when you know someone is right doesn't mean you have to like it. 

'Will, are you going to talk to him again?'

'Yeah. I guess. I'm a bit worried about the third woman, who she is. Did anyone look at his place yet?'

'Waiting on the warrant'

Will nods. 'Ok, I'll ask him about her' he smiles briefly at Jack and Bev and leaves the viewing room. A moment later they see him sit opposite Peter who instantly brightens up.

'Will. Hello. Will. I didn't think they'd let me see you. I didn't think so. See. I've got a friend here. With me here.'

Peter reaches into his pocket and then carefully pulls something out and passes it to Will. It's a small mouse. Will carefully pets it, smiling fully at the little creature as it wriggles and nibbles at his fingers, carefully Will hands the mouse back to Peter.

'Have to hide, have to hide him. They won't let me keep him will they. They won't.'

'Peter, no ones going to take your friend' he really hopes this is true, 'we've made sure Sarah is looked after properly now. You did a good thing for your friend. And Miriam too. She's alright. She'd come and see you if she could. She's busy right now. Ok?'

Peter carefully pets his mouse and then smiles at Will 'that's nice. I'm glad she's alright'

'Can you tell me anything about your other friend, the one who went away just before Miriam had to move? Another lady?'

'She's nice. She brings sweet things. Sweet. Tells me stories. Old stories.'

'Does she know your social worker?'

Peter doesn't say anything, just rocks slightly in his chair,

'Is it a secret? Are you supposed not to say?'

'Shhhh. Not allowed. Not allowed'

'Did your social worker say it was a secret?'

'No. No. She did. She did. He doesn't know. He doesn't know. She said he mustn't know'

'Alright. What did she not want him to know?'

'She made them sweet. She made them sweet. Made all the pain sweet.'

Will looks at Peter some more. Peter always opens up to him, but not always in ways he can quite follow. 

'That's clever. Making pain sweet. How does she do that? Is that something you can do? Make it sweet?'

'It's a secret. He doesn't like it that way. He likes the dark to come. She likes the sweet.'

In the viewing room Bev frowns, 'Jack? This is going to sound very far out. But. Peter isn't talking about the bee woman is he? We arrested her, what ten days ago. That could explain why the woman holding Miriam just disappeared? I could show the picture to Peter?'

Jack looks at her, 'I don't know Bev. He's already pretty fragile'

'I think I can make it be ok for him' Jack nods at her slightly tensely. Bev leaves the room and it's a few minutes before she knocks and enters the interview room a brown folder in one hand.

Peter smiles at her shyly, Bev smiles back 'I've got a picture of someone with me. They're not hurt. Can you look and see if you know her?'

Peter nods at her, his eyes widening, she glances at Will who has a question on his face, she opens the folder and hands the picture to Peter. His face breaks out into smiles 'I thought he hurt her. He made her go away. That's what I thought. He made her. Is she alright? Is she alright?'

Bev nods, 'yes she's fine. She's staying somewhere where she's safe from Mr Ingram. You don't need to worry about her. Ok'

'Oh good. I can tell her bees. Can't I? You'll let me tell her bees?'

Will and Bev exchange brief looks. Bev nods her head towards the door and smiles at a Peter again,

'Will and I are just going to have a little talk, ok? Don't worry. You can keep the picture'

Outside the door Will asks 'is that the woman you arrested in connection with the bee case?'

Bev nods 'it is! This is so odd!'

......................

In the lab the team are gathered round, Jack kicks everything off,

'She's some kind of great aunt by marriage, but divorce and different names or we'd have picked it up sooner. She's not listed as a guardian but she seems to be Peter's only living relative. Not that she can act for him now. In the circumstances. The better news is that the warrant showed nothing at his place or at the stables. He's going to be released. Before any of you say anything, I'm not wild about the fact that Ingram is still in the picture. We don't have enough on him to take it further. I tried for a warrant but no go'

'Do you think he'll hurt Peter?'

'I'm hoping he's smart enough to leave well alone. He must know we've got the woman in custody. He might be worried about what she'll say. Though he might also be banking on the fact that she's pretty strange. She might not know about the full picture of his activities. Or he may think we might not take her too seriously'

'He'll know we've got Miriam now'

'He will. And he may well have used the interview with Dr B to try and find out how far we'd got with him. We're this close on linking him to the bodies in the cemetery. But the link to the Butcher is tenuous'

'Shit. He made my teeth ache just listening to him. There's really nothing?'

'We can link Miriam to the last Butcher kill. We can link Peter to Miriam and the last Butcher kill, we can link the bee woman to Peter and Miriam. And we can link Peter to Clark Ingram. When Frederick talked to the bee woman she picked out Miriam and Sarah, and six other women from the cemetery, as well as Ingram, she says he's Peter Social Worker. And Miriam picked Clark Ingram out of a photo array. But although it's a chain we don't actually have anything to connect Ingram directly to the dead women or to the Butcher, it's all circumstantial. Even Miriam can't say for sure it was him who abducted her or even that he moved her, she's just seen him.'

'Damn! So the two people we've got, Peter and the bee woman are both vulnerable adults, albeit in different ways. And the guy who is supposed to look out for one of them is utterly abusing his role? That really stinks!'

Jack sighs 'I know Bev. It really does. It really does.'

........................

The bell of the shop goes and Daisy looks up as Will comes into the shop,

'Oooh hello, how are you Will? Did he like the roses?'

'He did, thank you. I've actually come to buy some more flowers.'

'Oh goodie. What this time?'

'Something that says "that's alright then, what a relief, I'm glad we sorted that out?"And maybe "I really totally adore you?"'

'That sounds lovely. Let's have a look then'

Will looks around the shop at the different flowers, and plants. Some of the bunches and bouquets are already made up. Daisy hums to herself.

'Alright lovely, here we are, it's a mixed bouquet, lots of vibrant colour, Rosie would probably suggest splitting it for display, but I like a bit of excess personally. I think your young man might too'

Will grins "his young man" Hannibal will love that.

'Alright. They're beautiful, will you write me a list of what's in it. So he can laugh at me later?'

'Course I can'

She spends a few minutes writing the list down and hands it to him.

'Tell him to mind the chrysanthemums, some people are a bit allergic to them'

Will looks at her, 'what? Contact dermatitis?'

'Yes dear' she takes Will's credit card and passes it through the machine, he signs the slip, without thinking about it.

'Ok. Have you got, err, do you carry anything else people use in bouquets a lot that people have to be careful of?'

'Oh well. Yes. We do warn people to be careful, tulips are classic, there's a thing called tulip fingers' she wiggles her fingers in a little wave 'foxgloves, lily of the valley, laburnum, oleander and of course some we're careful of, bad if they're ingested by children or pets'

'Oleander? If you were allergic, how would it show'

'Oooh, nasty blisters and a rash. You asked about ragwort the other day. That can be bad too, but we don't carry it. Too many animals eat it, or try to'

She laughs a little, 'we're quite careful. Plants are amazing. Beautiful And sometimes amazingly bad too!'

'Yes, I can see that, Will says absently. He opens the shop door 'thank you. Oh. Nearly forgot them'.

Daisy laughs as she hands the large bouquet to him. When he's gone Rosie comes out from the back of the shop, she rests her hand on Daisy's shoulder 'I hope we get to do their wedding flowers!'

'You're such a soppy thing!'

.................

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> DarkmoonSigel and Sku7314977 wrote a fic 'Food for Thought' that has a great chapter with the language of flowers in... and some gorgeous food porn.
> 
> Melusine10 'wounds we leave in the sea' has a chapter with flower language too
> 
> Maisiedukes 'march of the flowers' where Will is the florist!
> 
> Hannigrammatic 'Bouquet' which also features a Sassy Bev, so what's not to like?
> 
>  
> 
> Bless them all for tagging it! "Flower language"
> 
> Update!
> 
> Ok, I now know there are lots of flower stories in the fandom. Well duh to be me. I didn't know the whole flower shop thing was a trope! A TROPE. 
> 
> There's a great Tigerprawn ABO Basic Chickens Flowershop story, a Watermelonsmellinfellon story where Hannibal owns the flowershop. Another where Will buys a flowershop by Crayen and gets more than he bargained for because Hannibal is a plant, not unlike Audrey from little shop of horrors, except, well, Hannibal has a lot of vines, a lot of vines, think tentacle porn but with a plant and vines instead of tentacles, and another fic where again Hannibal owns the flowershop by Reitoei...
> 
> And a whole load of flower crown fics too.
> 
> This is a great fandom!


	15. Holly

Hannibal and Will pick their way carefully through the mess of splintered wood, twisted chicken wire, feathers and scraps of fur and hair. The little animal hospital that Peter had lovingly tended has been destroyed.

'He must have been very angry'

Will looks grim, 'he'll be here somewhere, they both will be. Peter won't leave his friends.'

'Will he hurt Ingram?'

'I don't think so. I don't know. This will have upset him very much'

'I'll go and check the stables, will you look at the house?'

'Yeah, where's Jack?'

'At the main house, he and Beverly are interviewing the owner again, shall we meet back in the yard?'

'Yeah, ok. Be careful. Ingram is a shit'

...................

Ahead of him in the stables Hannibal can hear the thin high keen of someone in distress, he pushes open the door set within a larger door and walks carefully inside. Mindful of what might be awaiting him. On the floor in the stall where Sarah Craber was found there is the body of horse, sewn up the way Sarah's temporary cradle had been. Peter is sitting on the concrete floor in front of it, hunched over, clutching his arms round himself.

'Peter? Peter, hello, are you alright? Are you cold?'

'Where's Will? Is Will here? Is he? I didn't know what to do. I didn't. It was all the dark. I spilled the dark. Can I see Will now? Please?'

'He's here. He was looking at the house for you, he will be here very shortly. Can I put one of the horse blankets round you?'

Hannibal stands and pulls a horse blanket from where it has been folded over the partition between two stalls. It smells of horse and hay and clover. He approaches Peter carefully and lays it around his shoulders. Peter pulls it tight around himself. Hannibal gently lays a hand on his arm and Peter shudders but doesn't move away.

They both hear footsteps on the concrete, and turn to look at Will as he comes through the open barn door.

'Hey, Hannibal, alright? Peter, hello. Are you ok?'

Peter nods, 

'He wanted to hurt her again. He wanted to. I didn't, I didn't. He shouldn't. He took it all down. He took it all down.'

Will smiles at him gently and then looks at the horse lying prone in the stall, a long gash in the abdomen sewn closed. There's blood on the ground, and a hammer with what looks like blood and hair matted on one end. 

'Peter, is your social worker in that horse?'

Peter doesn't nod but he looks at Will 'yes'

Will holds out a hand to him, 'ok, ok, we're going to go now. Alright? You remember my friend?' 

Peter glances at Hannibal, 

'one of my other friends, Jack? You remember? We'll get him, make sure you're ok. You won't have to deal with Mr Ingram again. I can promise you that.'

Will looks questioningly at Hannibal, who nods and Will carefully pulls Peter to his feet and draws Peter after him out of the stable block.

Hannibal turns to look at the horse. The expression on his face is almost comical. In his counselling and consulting roles he has seen a lot of dreadful and horrible things. This though. A man sewn into a horse? As he watches he sees two fingers emerge between the stitches and start to pull the threads apart. Hannibal watches with a kind of awful fascination.

A few minutes later Clark Ingram pulls himself out into the floor retching and spluttering. Hannibal regards him,

'I think if you know what's good for you you'll crawl back in there'

Ingram looks at him as he swipes blood and mucus from his face and then shakes his hand trying to clear it. Hannibal turns as he hears footsteps and sees Will walking towards them.

'Will?'

'He's with Jack'

'Good' he turns back to the besmeared man. 'Mr Ingram..'

Ingram interrupts looking to Will 'officer, I'm the victim here..'

'I'm not an officer, I'm Peter's friend. And you Mr Ingram are coming with us'

'You can't arrest me. I've done nothing. Nothing at all. I'm the victim!' His voices rises at the end of his comment, but he lets himself be lifted by two federal agents who have followed Will into the stables. 

Hannibal glares at him 'Mr Ingram we'd like to make sure you're quite alright. Do come quietly, we'll make sure you're checked out'

In the stable yard Will and Hannibal watch with Bev and Jack as Ingram is taken in the back of a police dispatch vehicle to the nearest hospital to be checked out.

'Anything? Tell me you've got something?'

'His hands were too covered in gunk. We'll have to go to the hospital'

'Alright. But we better get something, I've got a judge waiting on a good faith warrant to get into his house. Peter is ok but he's on the edge of shutting down for good.'

Bev glares at the receding tail lights of the dispatcher 'how can he get away with this?'

'Hospital' says Will. 'It's not over yet' 

...........................

The intake nurse looks Mr Ingram over,

'We're just going to keep you here overnight, just to be sure the fluid you've inhaled isn't impacting your breathing too badly.'

Ingram glares at her and moves to tuck a loose strand of hair off his face,

'Oooh' she says, catching sight of his hand 'that's nasty. We'll have a look at that. Must be painful. Have you done any yard work recently?'

'I was clearing some grounds. It's nothing. I'm allergic that's all, just unlucky'

Will and Jack are leaning on the door jamb,

'I'd say you're right about the state of your luck right now'

Ingram snarls.

........................

Six months later....

Freddie Lounds presses forwards on the steps of the court house 'Agent Crawford, Agent Crawford what do you think of the claim that it was a Victorian love code that finally cracked the Butcher case?' 

Jack Crawford turns and smiles at her 'what do I think? I think Palm and Bittersweet. That's what I think Ms Lounds. Oh and deep pink roses to you too'

She scrambles in her pocket for her phone, all the team has been using the damn language of flowers every time they give a sodding statement she opens a now much used tab. Ok, "Victory", "Truth", and ahhh, that's quite sweet of him "Thank you for being in my life". She smiles at his retreating back.

........................

Meanwhile, somewhere in Italy, just possibly Florence, Will wakes to the smell of coffee and fresh bread. And maybe melon. Hmmm. He stretches happily. And makes himself get out of bed. The marble flooring is cold under his feet so he slips on a pair of house shoes.

In the kitchen Hannibal is humming happily to himself, coffee is currently brewing, bread will come out of the oven in a few minutes and the weather today is clear and bright. He sits and scans the pages of the local newspaper. Always good to practice the local vernacular. He shivers when Will puts both arms round him from the back and slips his slightly chilled hands under the tail of Hannibal's night shirt.

'Anything interesting?'

'Outdoor performance of some Dante if you like'

'Really? What in a garden?'

'In a courtyard, they're putting seating in the galleries that overlook it. The acoustics will be interesting. There will be some contemporary music too'

'Sounds very, Florentine. Sure, why not?'

'You're indulging me'

'Yeah, I am. When is it?'

'Tomorrow night. I should call them and book'

'Good. You do that. Actually, do it now while you think of it. So we don't forget'

Hannibal looks at him in some surprise, Will is never bossy. Well, almost never. Except.. well.. he smiles and gets up goes into the hallway to use the landline. His cell doesn't like the old stonework here and reception is patchy.

When Hannibal comes back a few minutes later Will is reading the English language paper they pick up every few days. He's poured two coffees and is eating peach jam on a piece of the warm bread he must have rescued from the oven.

'You were right to phone promptly, the good weather has encouraged people, there were only a handful of tickets left..'

He tails off as he sees that next to his cup of coffee are two dark red roses twisted together and a small velvet covered box. Will carries on reading the paper.

'Will?'

'Two roses Hannibal. You should open the box'

Hannibal opens the box, inside are two plain rings in gold. On the inside of each a tiny engraving of a forget me not. 

'Will!' 

For once he's almost lost for words, Will is smiling and smiling at him, finally he manages, 

'Red carnation, a red one.'

...........................

Six months later....

'Beverly Katz you give that bouquet back to me. You stood on my foot. I'd have caught that!'

Bev sticks her tongue out at Jimmy, 'tough shit flower boy. This one is mine!'

There's a small fight involving flower crowns and the wedding bouquet. Petals fly everywhere. Their scent and colour spilling down the steps of Baltimore City Hall.

Rosie and Daisy laugh in delight.

**Author's Note:**

> Don't forget kudos are pink stocks, comments are lily of the valley *\\*/*


End file.
